Lucky Summer
by Child at Heart Forever
Summary: In which one thing quickly leads to another and Natsu finds himself with the not-so simple task of confessing his feelings to Lucy- and only a week to do so. Give it your best shot, buddy. -For Nalu Week 2015
1. Bonus Day 1: Shine

**"Child, what are you doing starting another story?"** _ **It's Nalu Week and this is finished -mostly- in advance. I'm okay. I might not be able to keep up on the days, but I like this idea too much to let this fly by. Hope you like, and enjoy reading!  
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In a perfect world, Natsu Dragneel would have already had the heart of Lucy Heartfilia.

It would be an effortless accomplishment; his good looks, charming personality, and way with women would have her swept right off her feet and into his arms, where they would then ride off into the sunset or something sappy and live happily ever after.

Alas, immediately obvious pink hair didn't exactly have the ladies fawning over him, he was a little more animalistic than he would like to admit, and when it came to romance, he wasn't too terribly intelligent. Not to mention something in him kept him from working up the nerve to tell her how he felt, despite all his courage...

He did not have the heart of Lucy Heartfilia.

And thus, this was not a perfect world.

. . .

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Bonus Day 1: Shine_

 _ **June 3rd-**_

"Man, this has to be Magnolia's hottest summer yet! …and that's coming from _me_!"

The Fire Dragon Slayer in question was sweating up a storm as he and his trusty blue Exceed crashed onto the couch of Lucy's apartment, having come in through the window and promptly leaving it open so some air come could through. Natsu overtook the couch while Happy draped himself over the armrest, with Lucy herself entering through her door with the remaining shreds of her sanity.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up…" Lucy groaned, barely able to slog through her own doorway before tumbling to the floor. Even in her rather revealing tank top and bottoms that gave a whole new meaning to the word "short", she was just as uncomfortably hot as anyone else. Lucy pulled the rest of her into the apartment before shutting the door and slumping herself up against a table.

"It's just the beginning of summer…it's only going to get worse…" moaned Happy, fluttering to Lucy's fridge in a hopeful search for a nice cold fish. Lucy threw her head back and whined in response.

"If I have to keep fighting bandits in heat like this I'm going to _die_ …"

"Aw, we didn't even destroy anything this time! You're being over dramatic," Natsu scoffed lightheartedly. Lucy turned her head towards him and glowered.

"No I'm not…you _know_ the jobs in the summer decrease because of all the festivities and events that go on, and it's a race just to get decent work! It's only the beginning of the month and I already don't know if I can pay my rent in time…" She fell to her side and slumped onto the ground; Natsu frowned and raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to have to work three times as hard now…"

Natsu adjusted himself on the couch and poked his head over the armrest. "Lucy, all you ever do is work! Why torture yourself by doing more?"

"Because I'd actually like to have a place to live and things to eat, thank you. Especially when blue cats and pink-haired dragon slayers like to dig through my food and ruin my stuff!"

"Aye sir!" was chirped from the kitchen followed by the clattering of miscellaneous items, while Natsu's face twisted into a displeased grimace.

"Maybe you should take it a little easy, Lucy…if you keep frowning so intensely, your face is gonna get stuck like that."

"Don't say that," Lucy moaned into her rug. "I mean…there's nothing more that I wanna do than take a vacation right now. It's summer…and it's probably partially my fault for romanticizing it so much."

"…wait, why do you want to romance summer?"

Lucy took a moment to deadpan.

" _Idiot_! It means that my vision of summer differs from reality…" She propped her head up for a moment to glance up at Natsu, whose following dumbfounded look demanded an explanation. "If I had it my way, I'd be doing more than just taking it easy- I could be spending days at the beach, basking in the warm glow of sunsets, breathing in tropical air and admiring the clear warm nights when the stars shine their brightest…"

"Sounds like fun to me!" Natsu exclaimed, with Lucy's smile softening at his enthusiasm. "Why not just… _do_ it?"

"If it was that easy, _everyone_ would be doing it. But it's not realistic…I don't have the time or funds to pull any of that off. Sometimes we have to forget fun to get the important things done."

Natsu certainly didn't doubt that Lucy could pull off an extra workload- she was dedicated and stubborn almost to a fault- but at the same time, he couldn't help but worry. He knew how important keeping her apartment was, yet he really hated seeing her in a tizzy like this. She wasn't happy in the slightest.

But instead of uttering some sage wisdom to snap her back into high spirits, he announced the following:

"That's not a very nice way to live life."

"Yeah?" Lucy sighed. "Well, it's _my_ life right now…"

She returned to lying face down on the floor, and the fact that she sort of looked _not alive_ at the moment was starting to freak Natsu out.

"Okay, well, you can't stay there," Natsu declared, rising from the couch to convince her to go to bed. She didn't move an inch, but Natsu could hear her heavy breathing- which was a relief and a concern. But when he nudged her with his foot, she flopped over onto her back and gave off a very loud snore in the process…which meant she really _was_ tired.

He thought _he_ was the only one who could fall asleep that quick.

"…okay, you _really_ can't stay there," murmured Natsu, kneeling down to carefully heft Lucy into his arms. The delicacy wasn't really necessary- he doubted throwing her into a bucket of cold water was going to wake her up at this point. Now that she was resting, it was easy to see the worn-out exhaustion on her face. It made sense though; they'd already been on over a dozen odd jobs in the past week already, and all of them hadn't been particularly easy by any means.

"Aw, I feel kinda bad," announced Happy as he returned from failing to locate a fish. He proceeded to hover over the snoozing blonde and curiously poke her shoulder. "She really doesn't look that good…"

"No, she doesn't…"

Natsu's face was grim as he hefted her higher into his grip, trying to figure out what he was going to do about this. There was no way Lucy was going to stay away from working, but he didn't know if he was going to be able handling anymore days of her wearing herself out like this. It'd be painful for the both of them! If she at least had something to look forward to, maybe that would help a little…

He sort of _threw_ her into her bed, leaving her a tangled mess of limbs and hair atop her blanket. Since it was so hot, Natsu doubt she wanted to be covered up, but he at least had the sense to shift her into a far more comfortable position. Once she was properly propped on her pillow, Lucy appeared to be a bit more at peace, but her smile was absent from her face. Even at rest, her whole face was weary, and she seemed to lack her normal radiant glow…

And with Happy as his witness, that was when Natsu made his decision.

He would do what he could to make her smile shine once again.

 _ **June 4th-**_

"I want to take Lucy on vacation."

Impulsive as ever, Natsu had ran straight to the guild bright and early the next day to launch his fledging plan into action. The guild members that happened to be lingering about were a little surprised at the sudden ambition, but with the way Natsu was partially bouncing in place, they knew he was serious. Mirajane leaned with great interest over the counter as Natsu and Happy darted over to the request board and scooped up every decent-paying solo job they could get their hands on.

"Before I even think of approving all those requests for you, where's Lucy today?"

"Resting back at her apartment; she's not coming in today either. She was really exhausted when we came home last night…" Natsu's eyes softened as he explained. "So, I'mma take on a bunch of solo jobs, earn a ton of jewel, and give her the vacation she's been asking for!"

Natsu looked so proud of himself as he held out over a dozen job requests to Mirajane, with the She-Devil doing her best not to impolitely laugh at him. Thankfully, it was Gray who couldn't contain his laughter anymore, and Natsu's annoyance was directed at him instead.

"And what's so funny, Frostbite?!" he demanded, with Gray only laughing harder.

"Nothing, just the huge amount of holes in your plan," Gray smirked, only serving to ignite Natsu's anger. "I mean, if you start going on a bunch of jobs on your own, Lucy's going to ask questions, especially when she's so concerned about her rent."

"Even by yourself, this whole thing sounds really expensive," Wendy pointed out. "Would you really be able to earn enough before summer's over…?"

"Not to mention when you plan to take her, where you plan on going, how you're going to successfully manage keeping this a surprise-" Erza rambled.

"-and why you're going to all the trouble in the first place!" cheered Mirajane, and of course that got the conversation in the guild stirring. Natsu froze like that hadn't even crossed his mind, but it was Happy that answered, hiding his chuckles behind his paws.

"He liiiiiiiiiikes her~!"

" _I_ …just don't want to see her look so bad anymore," Natsu immediately clarified. "She works so hard just to keep up with her rent that she never has time for anything fun. It's no wonder she's so grumpy all the time."

"Still, an entire vacation just for a smile? I smell something more under the surface…" taunted Cana, waving her latest drink around in the air.

Natsu blinked. "What can you smell? You're not a dragon slayer…"

The whole guild nearly fell over in disbelief, with Cana in particular shaking her head.

"Ugh, nevermind…but knowing you Natsu, there's no way you're going to be able to pull this off by yourself. It's way too much for one person to handle, and with that person being _you_ -"

"He'll destroy his own stupid plan," snickered Gajeel, looking for a high five afterward. Lily sitting next to him only gave him a disapproving look. Natsu was all set to stomp over and flip Gajeel's table –and Gajeel with it- but Levy had intervened before anything could get too out of control.

"Now, hold on…! Just because he doesn't have every last detail worked out doesn't mean it's a bad idea!" Levy exclaimed. "It's true that Lu-chan's been a little overworked lately, and her birthday _is_ coming up next month…"

Wendy's eyes lit up. "Hey, that's right…! That'd be a good excuse as any to pull this off, and if we all helped out, it would be like one big present from the guild!"

"But it was _my_ idea," Natsu insisted. "…although I'm not really sure about the birthday thing. Doesn't she hate talking about it?"

"Then don't talk about it!" whooped Cana. "Just because you vacation ON her birthday doesn't mean you have to make everything all about it. It'll be like a coincidence…!"

Natsu looked remarkably thoughtful. "Huh, I suppose that could work…as long as it makes Lucy smile again, I'm willing to do anything!"

He didn't miss the cloy looks Mirajane and Cana were giving each other, the way Erza was nodding her head like she knew something, how Levy was muffling a giggle with hand, or how Gajeel and Gray were suddenly best buddies for the moment as they threw wicked grins in Natsu's direction. The final straw was how Happy looked about ready to burst into hysterics- what was so entertaining?!

"I don't know what you're all snickering for- doing something nice for your nakama when they're down and out doesn't sound all that funny to me," he murmured. "Besides, Lucy's my partner! What kind of person would I be if I didn't at least try to make her smile again?"

"Yeah, what kind of person would you be if you _didn't_ break into her apartment and practically stalk her, sleep in her bed from time to time, try to drag her off on adventures without anyone but Happy, always going out of your way to protect her, not to mention get super jealous-" listed Cana with far too much glee.

"Oi, who told you all that?!"

Cana chugged her beer. "What's there to tell?! You've _never_ acted that way around a girl before."

"I can safely say he's never broken into _my_ house," Lisanna tossed in with a laugh, making Natsu immediately sink his head into his scarf as best he could.

"Salamander's just a huge creep, if ya ask me," scoffed Gajeel, and yet it was Lisanna that came to his rescue.

"Hey, don't say that! Natsu just has…a unique way of showing that he cares." She rose from her seat and wandered over to Natsu, ruffling a hand in his hair. "If he really does have a thing for Lucy, it's not his fault he doesn't know what to do with himself! I mean, he's probably never felt like this before."

"…that's a lot coming from you, Lil' Sis. Pretty manly," murmured Elfman, but Lisanna only shrugged with a shy smile.

"Hey, who said I had a thing for Lucy?" Natsu interrupted afterward. "The only thing I was going to give her was a vacation…"

"Flaming idiot!" Gray hissed while the guild collectively groaned. "How do you get _dressed_ in the morning?!"

"W-Well, what are you guys trying to imply?!"

The weight of the guild's collective staring was heavy on Natsu's shoulders, and he did not like being scrutinized like this. Especially when he didn't even know why.

"Could they get any more obvious, my boy?"

Everyone went silent as Master Makarov arrived from his office, arms folded behind his back as he diligently walked up to the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"What we're trying to tell you is that we've had our suspicions that your love for Lucy goes way beyond that of family or merely a friend." Makarov's face was gravely serious like he was diagnosing some deadly disease. "We firmly believe you're in love with Lucy."

"… _oh_."

"Seriously Natsu, you act like you're her boyfriend all the time lately…with some weird twists," scoffed Cana. "And you're so dense, you don't even know you're doing it! Just make it official already."

Natsu instantly flared up. "I'm _not_ dense!"

Let's clarify one thing- Natsu Dragneel was not the dense teen everyone thought he was. A little clueless, somewhat oblivious, and perhaps too innocent for his own good, but not dense. He was far more attentive than people gave him credit for…and he was aware of just how protective, interested, and attracted he was towards Lucy Heartfilia.

Natsu didn't actively try to catch her attention, as he very much appreciated her friendship…and between jobs and adventures, he really didn't need much more from her than that. Yet there were times when he did try- whether it be when things were a little slower than usual and she was at her most relaxed, or when it felt like the world would end and he attempted to be somewhat romantic- and it was always a hit or miss. Sometimes he'd get a flustered smile or a thick blush that made his heart soar with hope…but then it was all cancelled out with the times she'd dismiss his actions as "just being Natsu" or "what a nice friend he is". Secretly he was still a little sore when Lucy made him kiss Happy instead of her that one time… It really wouldn't have been that bad!

Oh, he adored the girl, but just WHO was the dense one again? He knew _what_ his feelings were…he just didn't know what to _do_ with them since Lucy always seemed insecure when it came to such a subject… He was certain that it hadn't been love at first sight with her or anything, as it had definitely been a more…gradual process with him (when he first brought her to Fairy Tail he wasn't even expecting to spend much more time with her), but at the same time it was hard for him to come up with a moment when her presence didn't inexplicably brighten up his day, so who knew? Overall, he hated sudden change, and change definitely wasn't necessary when it came to his delicate friendship with Lucy.

Thus, he was totally, completely, and unshakably fine with how things were.

"So?" Makarov asked calmly enough. " _Do_ you?"

While Natsu refused to give everyone the satisfaction of a straight answer, the guilty look on his face told more than enough.

"Let's just cut to the chase- Natsu loves Lucy, no questions asked," hummed Cana. "Now, what are we going to do about it?"

"Stay out of my bloody business and let me do things without being questioned?" Natsu recommended, though this completely fell on deaf ears. Bets, speculations, and wild theories were already spreading like wildfire, and there was no stopping the gossip in Fairy Tail…unless Mirajane was at the head.

"All right, I've got an idea! _Here's_ a deal for you, Natsu…" Mirajane trailed, her voice somewhat dangerous as she laced her fingers together. She commanded everyone's attention without even trying. "We'll all pitch in to keep this plan under wraps, get the details ironed out, and help Lucy keep up on her rent while you earn the money…"

Natsu's eyes lit up eagerly at first, but then his face twisted into a grimace. "…oi, what's the catch?"

Mirajane's smile was borderline demonic. "…IF you come back hand in hand with Lucy."

"Psh, that'll be easy-!" Natsu started to say, until Gajeel burst out laughing, along with a few other of the men. "Wait, what's so funny now…?"

"What Mira _means_ is that we're all willing to support this crazy idea of yours if you're willing to make it worthwhile," Erza explained with an intimidating aura about her. "If you take Lucy on this little… _vacation_ , you had better come back having confessed your feelings."

And then, Natsu went completely pale.

"A-And what if I don't…?!"

Now both Erza and Mirajane were giving him eerily excited looks as they leaned in and said:

"Punishment time."

"This…is the best thing that has ever happened in a _long_ time," Gray conceded, throwing his hands into the air.

"Aye, sir," agreed Gajeel. "Gihihihihi! This is too good…!"

"Ah, isn't that going a little far…? I mean, what if Natsu _does_ confess and Lucy rejects him?" Wendy asked meekly, wincing when Natsu suddenly lost his balance and nearly crashed into a table just at the thought. Cana shrugged aloofly.

"Well, we won't be able to say he didn't try."

"I'll be going with him, so _I'll_ see if he keeps up his end of the deal!" added Happy with palpable joy, much to Natsu's disdain.

" _Traitor_!"

"Let's do a blood pact," Mirajane suggested, rubbing her hands together excitedly. "That way he definitely can't weasel out of it!"

"That…won't be necessary," Erza intervened, throwing a fierce glare in Natsu's direction and quickly calming everyone down. "This a huge favor you're asking of us, Natsu. Surely it isn't too far-fetched to think we'd expect something of equal value in return. If this is the kick in the pants Natsu needs, then so be it!"

With the guild settled, all glances were thrown over to Natsu, where his head was hanging down and his bangs were draped across his eyes, hiding his grimacing expression. He really wanted to put everything out on the table just to show Lucy how much he really did care, but he messed up so often just while he was in the friend zone and he already felt like he was on thin ice all the time. He knew Lucy had too big of a heart to completely shove him out of her life, but one big mistake could change everything for the worst…

"I…I can't tell her. Not yet…" Natsu mumbled hopelessly. "I mean, I'm just doing this for her as a friend-"

"A really good friend," teased Mirajane.

"-and if I _did_ try to pull something, she might get the wrong idea…"

"Wow, you _have_ been thinking about this," remarked Cana. "You've really got it bad, don't ya?"

"Sh-shut up!"

His face was too hot, even for his standards, and the eager stares of everyone wasn't really helping him all that much. How did all these people manage to suspect how he really felt about Lucy? Sure, he looked out for her a lot…and maybe he couldn't really help himself when he grinned at her sometimes…

But if they all could see it, why couldn't Lucy? Was it because the idea of him being anything other than a friend was too outrageous to comprehend? That alone made Natsu want to call everything off, because he _really_ didn't want to be right…but running away and not even giving it his best shot? That wasn't his style.

Recklessly jump in head first and hope for the best with the risk of some destruction? _That_ sounded more like it.

"…but all right…I'll do it…" Natsu weakly accepted, slowly coming to terms with what he just agreed to. Maybe it really was time to stop beating around the bush and _just tell her_ before something bad happened. And if there ever was a place and time to do it, it would be when she was at her most relaxed and least likely to reject him. The idea of this going well built a fire in his belly, and the next thing everyone knew he was smiling like normal and billowing in flames at the center of the hall. "…yeah, I'll do it! I'm all fiiiiiiired up!"

"Then let's get to work, everyone!" announced Makarov, standing on the counter and throwing his fist into the air. "We don't have very long to pull this off, but Fairy Tail doesn't know the meaning of the word quit! And more importantly, all of Fairy Tail is behind you, Natsu!"

"At least, until you royally mess up," Laxus couldn't resist adding in, until he caught the infuriated look Mirajane possessed. "I-I mean…aye, sir!"

"There ain't a single romantic bone in that dolt's body," Gajeel announced, fist bumping Gray as Natsu marched around cackling with newfound confidence. "Salamander just screwed himself over."

"Best. Summer. Ever."

 _ **June 30th-**_

Lucy leaned her cheek on her hand as she watched the land drift by, knowing that it would be her only glimpse into the outside world until later that evening. She ran her fingers through the head of soft pink hair that was currently lying in her lap, trying to escape the throes of motions sickness. She swore she heard Natsu purr in response, but she'd gladly take that over him throwing up all over her. Jeez, he was still so cute when he slept…

Although now she was wondering why he insisted on taking a job so far away when he knew the fastest way to get there was by train- and she knew he'd rather avoid transportation at all costs. But nope- he'd been ridiculously adamant about going to _this_ place on _this_ week and with _her_ only (and Happy, who was currently napping on Natsu's stomach). And so there they were, on a nonsensically vague mission.

Part of her didn't mind- Natsu had been on a rampant spree of solo missions these past few weeks, and she thought it was because she complained just a little too much about her rent and had somehow put him off. However, everyone who helped her out in Natsu's stead –Gray, Erza, Juvia, Cana, Lisanna, and even Gajeel as awkward as that had been- assured her that something had simply come up for him and he had a short amount of time to get things together. Lucy felt a little bad; after all, she'd been distracted by her own problems and failed to learn what was going on with Natsu. But Mirajane constantly reassured her that there was no reason to worry at all.

So what had happened?

Even as she was relieved that Gray and Erza pitched in enough to get her rent paid a few days early –leaving her free for another month- she couldn't help but wonder about Natsu, and he only insisted on evading her questions. Especially when as soon as he was ready to go on a mission with her again, he never fully gave her all the details. So strange…

"And you call _me_ the weird one," Lucy scoffed, her fingers still entangled in his messy locks. He, in his blissful rest, stirred slightly, resulting in a dreamy smile spreading on his face. Lucy couldn't stay mad at a face like that, but she wished she could understand the thoughts going on behind it.

Either way, when they reached their destination that evening –a very rich-looking resort of some sort- Natsu was almost a little too excited to get off the train, he and Happy already inching towards that large building that was to be their hotel. It seemed a bit much just for staying out of town for a job, but if Natsu and Happy didn't have any protests about it…

"Ah, so where's our client, anyway?" questioned Lucy, pulling her pink luggage along behind her as Natsu happily skipped up to the entrance. "You'd think they'd be here to meet us after we traveled so far…"

"Don't worry about a thing, Luce- all will be made clear soon enough!" Natsu sang as he darted on ahead and held the door open for her. Lucy gave him a wary look.

"Listen, as nice as it is going on a job with you again, I'd really prefer not to work this week…" she explained slowly, glancing shyly at the floor. "After all, tomorrow is-"

"But we're already here! And Fairy Tail never turns its back on a client!" Happy declared quickly. Lucy paused in mid-statement, then smiled softly.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I mean, not that working with other people lately wasn't fun, but I sort of missed you guys."

Natsu flashed a grin over his shoulder as he marched to the reception desk. "I missed you too, Lucy!"

"I didn't miss carrying your heavy body around," Happy chimed, snickering when Lucy swatted at him. She stopped assaulting the blue cat when she overheard Natsu saying something about "the reservations for Dragneel", along with the surprised look that cross the receptionist's face as he passed the keys to Natsu. Natsu thanked him, then whirled back around to wave them at Lucy. Before she could even ask a question, he'd already dashed into the elevator, beckoning her to follow.

"This is probably the best inn we've ever stayed us," Natsu stated brightly, although he wasn't bright for long when the elevator started to move. He immediately grabbed Lucy for support, and Lucy nearly fell over from trying to support his weight.

"…are you seriously getting sick on an elevator?!"

" _No_ ," he lied, face obviously blue and cheeks blatantly larger than normal. "I just…erm…ugh…"

"How high are we going anyway…?" Lucy pondered, choosing to remain oblivious to Natsu's dilemma as she carefully placed a hand against the wall of the glass elevator. The floors seemed to drift by endlessly, and she was able to look down and watch the masses of people skitter around below, all of them looking summer-ready with smiles on their faces and more or less just enjoying their summer night. Lucy sighed a little wistfully –too bad she couldn't join them, but duty called.

"I think I'mma take the stairs from now on…" Natsu gurgled, releasing Lucy and falling into a fetal position on the floor with a thump. Happy stared at him sympathetically while Lucy was struck by the oddity of it all once again…normally when they went on a job, all Natsu could do was blab about the baddies he planned the beat up. But he hadn't said a word about fighting or even the reward since they got on the train.

The elevator finally dinged, and Natsu popped up like toast out of a toaster.

"We're here!" he chirped, snagging Lucy's hand and pulling her out.

"The top floor-?!" Lucy barely had a chance to get her words out. "D-Doesn't that seem a little extreme just for a job-?"

"Fufufufu…!" She could hear Happy giggling, and the grin Natsu was wearing was incredibly obvious as he tugged her along. Something told her that this wasn't just a job after all –that was more than obvious now, her partners were acting way too giddy- but then what was going on? She couldn't really come up with a reason why Natsu would pull something like this….

Blinking, she glanced up at the pink-haired dragon slayer currently dragging her down the hall.

"…are you kidnapping me?"

"WHAT?!"

Natsu, Lucy, and the luggage went tumbling to the floor with the aftershock of the accusation. The duo raised themselves out of their heap of stuff, with Lucy looking a little sheepish for blurting out something so incredulous. Natsu's face was a mix of amusement and bewilderment, eventually rearranging himself so that he was holding Lucy by the shoulders.

"Luce, if I were to ever kidnap _you_ , I would tell you," Natsu deadpanned, and in a weird twisted way that was probably true. "It might not be a job, but it's still something I think you need to do, if you'll give me a chance to show you."

He hastily scooped her luggage and put it all back into the case, then jumped to his feet and held out a hand to help her up. Lucy blinked with relative astonishment, cautiously draping her hand in his. He gripped her with a gentle firmness and pulled her in close, catching Lucy before she stumbled too far forward.

"Do ya trust me, Lucy?"

His tone was warm, friendly, and genuine like it usually was- nothing about it tipped Lucy off to any ulterior motives. Even with their faces only inches apart, nothing about his expression was dishonest, and if anything, Lucy felt like she was about to be blinded by the brightness of his grin.

"I…don't really know what's going on…" She heard Happy begin to giggle once again while Natsu's entire being lit up hopefully. "…but for some reason I have a good feeling about this. Also against my better judgment."

With an excitedly smug look and accepting that as a positive answer, Natsu turned to their room and whipped open the door –perhaps a little too forcefully as it smacked into the wall- but it did little to diminish the sense of wonder that suddenly filled Lucy.

All at once, she took everything in- they were in a really nice room that could almost pass for a tiny house. The décor was simple, but it was welcoming and very well-lit with lacrimas. She made a side note that there was only one bed –okay, _Natsu_ \- but it was _humongous_ at the same time, with plush pillows and poofy blankets that a person could probably drown in. While she was admiring the rest of the room, she heard Natsu shuffle towards the window, grab the edges of the curtains, and whisk them open with an incredibly proud grin.

"You said you wanted a vacation, right?" he asked coyly enough, sporting that room-brightening smile. "Well, for the next week, all of this is yours to roam…"

Lucy's eyes nearly fell out of her head with how wide they were, slowly stepping towards the window and placing her fingers delicately against the glass. The large window was actually a door that led out into the balcony, so she opened it and stepped out, sensing Natsu protectively walk out behind her. Her hands flew to her face as she took in the beautiful view of the sunset enveloping the sky in such warm colors, and how inviting the beach looked bathed in the waning marigold light… Even the little town in the distance was remarkably inviting as the street lights started to glow and give the world an almost surreal feel.

Blinking in disbelief, Lucy turned back around to face Natsu, who was just grinning like a fool at her reaction.

"You…you did all of this…just for me…? H-How did you…?"

" _Well,_ I paid for it, but everyone at the guild helped make it happen, so when we get back in a week you'll have to thank them too."

His hands nervously found their way into his pockets as his fanged smile split his face, tilting his head in a boyish fashion.

"Happy birthday, Lucy."

Natsu flinched when Lucy went entirely rigid, almost fearing that he'd said the wrong thing. But slowly, the happiness spread across her face as she started jumping happily in place, not caring if the neighbors downstairs could hear her. She nearly burst into a song and dance she was so overjoyed, and Natsu could only stare in content disbelief, but chuckled when Lucy excitedly tackled him with a hug onto the bed. Pleased tears were already forming at the corners of her eyes, yet she was far too thrilled to get any words out. She was lost in a fit of excited laughter, and Natsu took her shining smile as more than a thank you.

Maybe he would be able to have a shot with this girl after all.


	2. Day 1: Wander

**Holy cow you guys, I wasn't expecting such a...hyped following. XD Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed, and followed and faved so far! Here's the next prompt!**

* * *

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 1: Wander_

 _ **July 1st-**_

"Ohayo, Luce!"

Lucy was not spurned awake by the delightful voice beckoning to her- no, she owed her break from slumber to the scent of chocolate and vanilla wafting through her nose. Yawning and inhaling more of the aroma, she fluttered her eyes open to see Natsu grinning at the edge of her bed with Happy holding a vanilla-frosted chocolate cupcake with a starry candle on top. With a half-asleep smirk, Lucy pushed herself up into a sitting position, then slumped her back against the headboard.

"…a better birthday gift would be letting me sleep in."

"Aw, come on, I went to a lot of trouble for this cupcake," Natsu moaned dramatically. "There's not many bakeries willing to make _one_ cupcake at the crack of dawn, you know. I almost got you a birthday _muffin_ instead."

"It's true- he almost threw a tantrum the second time they told him no," Happy chirped, earning him an unappreciated look from the dragon slayer. Lucy couldn't help cracking a smile at the image of an angry Natsu waving his arms and stomping his foot in a bakery, but it faded quickly as she pulled the mess of blankets higher over her.

"…Natsu, you know I don't like anything reminding me of my birthday," Lucy began quietly, fisting the sheets. "I don't like cake, I don't like presents, I don't like balloons…I don't like being reminded of the things I could've had…"

"I know that." Natsu took the treat from Happy and put it on the bedside table, then plunked himself back onto the bed. Lucy bounced a little with the aftershock. "And this is the only thing I'm going to do all this week that has anything to do with your birthday. Just one wish, and then BOOM- everything else we do will solely be in your hands."

"…really?" Lucy asked, sounding a little skeptical. "Even if I wanted to sit in this ridiculously comfortable bed all day and just stare at the wall?"

Natsu blinked. "Well, that might kill me a little on the inside, but I could handle a day. Maybe. Er…"

"You could leave; I could stay here," Lucy pointed out once Natsu had to take a moment to think that through, but he resolved for just a shrug.

"I could. Wouldn't be nearly as fun though. 'Sides, this is all for you- I'm doing whatever you like!"

Lucy couldn't keep the grin off her face. "That's really nice of you, but you're on vacation too, after all! We should take turns doing things we want at the very least…"

"Sounds good to me!" cheered Natsu, although Lucy came to believe he was being a little too agreeable… He quickly noticed her highly uncertain look and asked her what was up.

"Well, I was just wondering…how come you're going to all this trouble for me…?" she murmured carefully, staring at him through her eyelashes. Happy suddenly looked incredibly attentive as Natsu merely tilted his head and beamed at her.

"Cuz you're my best friend! You've been grumpier than usual-" He poked her forehead. She made a face. "-and you been griping about needing a vacation, so I got ya one! The fact it landed on your birthday was so I had an excuse, heh."

Lucy opened her mouth to speak again, but he hastily put a finger over her lips to keep her quiet. With his other hand, he ignited his index finger and lit the candle on the cupcake. Slowly he pulled his hand away from Lucy and held the cupcake out to her again.

"You ask way too many questions, ya weirdo. Most people I know would simply be happy with the fact that they already got their wish…" He winked. "But feel free to make a new one."

Lucy sat up a little straighter in her bed, now practically balking at Natsu. He was drowning her in the light of that dazzling smile, one she knew _must_ have been concealing higher intentions, but his eyes didn't lie. He was genuinely pleased to just _be_ here, and he was happy that she was with him. He wasn't shoving the fact that it was her birthday down her throat either, nor was he ignoring her- Natsu had acknowledged it once by doing one nice thing, and wasn't going to press the issue further.

He certainly did a lot for her, didn't he?

With her cheeks dusted pink, Lucy gave Natsu a minute smile before leaning forward even further, letting her eyes fall closed as her lips puckered to blow out the flame of the candle. Happy clapped and cheered from where he was as Lucy took the cupcake from Natsu, thanking him afterwards. Natsu then sat back and waited with remarkable patience for Lucy to finish the cupcake, but to his surprise she had split it into three, having already passed a piece to Happy and was now holding out a slice for him.

"I-"

"Hey, it tastes better if I share!" Lucy hummed, with Happy's ravenous chewing serving as a testament of agreement. Natsu rolled his eyes and accepted his piece.

"That was _so_ cheesy."

"I don't hear you complaining though." Lucy retorted, smirking when Natsu shoved his whole piece into his mouth. His grin was now decorated with chocolate crumbs and frosting, causing Lucy to laugh before taking a modest bite of her piece.

"Fo," Natsu muffled through the munching of the cupcake stuffed into his face. "Wud you whish fur?"

Lucy remained pointedly quiet, giving Natsu a coy shrug as she chewed. He gave her a pleading puppy-dog look; she covered her mouth as she giggled.

"…hm, maybe I'll tell you," Lucy hummed mischievously, taking another bite into her half of the cupcake. His eyes immediately lit up. "… _if_ it comes true."

. . .

"See? It's a beautiful freaking day- you would've missed out on this glory if you spent it looking at a _wall_."

"Natsu, you think every day is beautiful," Lucy stated. Natsu just grinned at her and held his head high.

"Cuz it's true."

"Even when you're having a bad day?"

"It's a good day for _somebody_ ," he returned, and Lucy couldn't really find the grounds to argue. Especially when the day was indeed something to marvel at. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, the sun was warm enough to feel good and not be overbearing, the breeze was gentle and refreshing, and the general atmosphere of the resort was fantastic. As they currently walked down the cobblestone street, the sounds of genuinely happy people filled her ears, along with the summertime music playing through the town and even the waves of the ocean crashing into the pristine beach. There was also a medley of scents wafting through her nose –and she was no dragon slayer, but she was pretty sure it was a mix of ripe tropical fruit, freshly baked bread, and the salty sea air.

"Now _this_ is what summer is supposed to feel like," Lucy sighed as she closed her eyes and spread out her arms, taking in the essence of the day. Natsu spent a little too long admiring how at peace she looked, so Happy flicked him in the head before he could get caught staring at her. He coughed and slung an arm around her, casting his other arm out like presenting an endless list of possibilities before them.

"Anyway, this whole place is our playground! I know I said you could do whatever you wanted, but Levy helped me come up with some stuff just in case you were indecisive. Which you tend to be. A lot."

Lucy gave him a look before her lips pulled into a smile. "Well, if Levy helped you come up with some suggestions, then I suppose I can trust your judgement. Besides, having an idea in mind is way better than winging it and possibly missing something good. …mature move, on your part."

"Y-Yeah, well, I…" Natsu poked his fingers together. "I was just trying to think like you, since you're so smart and all…"

"Well, don't tell me everything just yet," Lucy laughed while lightly blushing from the compliment. "It'll be better to take things just one day at a time…although I'm curious about what you planned for today."

There was a spark in his eyes as he took her hand and started pulling her through the crowd of fellow tourists, his grin a beacon in the middle of the controlled chaos.

"Today? I figured we could just wander. Get lost, see some stuff, and have an adventure getting back to the hotel."

He grinned at the way Lucy's eyes lit up, although he was surprised when she suddenly latched her arms in his and took the lead herself.

"Well what are we waiting for? We're burning daylight! Let's go see everything!"

"You sound like me," Natsu snickered as he was tugged along. "We have a whole week to see everything…"

"But let's make the most of _today_ ," Lucy insisted, and Natsu wasn't exactly opposed to that idea, letting himself be whisked away. Happy casually hovered behind them, although it wasn't hard to lose their lighthearted laughter even in the crowd. Even if Natsu somehow ended up not holding up his end of he deal, Happy would at least be glad that they were having fun.

"But they totally liiiiike each other. How come I'm the only one that sees that?"

. . .

In true Team Natsu fashion, the trio had jumped head first into the city and let the day take them wherever, although they mostly just followed the crowd. Lucy was still embracing all this newfound freedom while Natsu and Happy excitedly careened behind her, their hands in the air and hollering jovially like this would be their last day to have fun. They got a few bewildered looks from a countless amount of people because of it, yet all three of them didn't pay attention to anyone- this was their time, and they were going to just do whatever!

Natsu had also explained that this place was the Azalea Resort, and he only knew about it because Mirajane had done a really expensive photo shoot there once upon a time. She still had a few connections here and there, and with her charm managed to pull a few strings for them- hence why they'd managed to get a room on the top floor of the hotel, for example. It was but one of many perks, and Natsu was never one to turn down opportunity. It was also Mirajane who helped Levy figure out the places Natsu just had to go to–especially the "romantic" places, but Natsu didn't tell Lucy _that_.

"Over there's the path to the beach," Natsu announced, trying his best to look like he knew what he was doing as they passed all of the interesting sights. "There's an amusement park over that way, an aquarium next to a street that's full of restaurants, a whole bunch of stores over thataway…ooh, and there's a huge outdoor movie lacrima theater! I didn't even know that was _there_!"

"You're really fired up about it," Lucy hummed. "Guess we'll have to see what's playing and pick a good day to check it out!"

"Sure! Maybe an action movie where there's a giant dragon fighting against, like, some evil god or something!" Natsu suggested, shooting flames out of his mouth for emphasis.

"Or a romantic comedy with crying and kissing and junk!" Happy burst out, snickering to himself afterward. "Or maybe a really scary horror film so Lucy will be all 'Ah, I'm scared!' and then Natsu can-"

"Totally _reject_ that idea because rampaging beasts are way cooler," Natsu interrupted, quickly turning away from Lucy to hide his expression. He desperately looked around for a way to redirect the conversation, but it was Lucy that diverted the discussion, clutching Natsu's hand as she towed him across the street. She had spotted a painter and quickly ask if they could get a portrait, and as Natsu didn't have any reason to deny her, he agreed to it. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on a bench in front of an older woman. Her smile was warm and she was very welcoming, with Lucy immediately taking a liking to her and requesting a trio portrait.

Happy threw Natsu a look as he smoothed down his fur. "That means she wants _me_ in the picture too."

Natsu made a face at his cat as Lucy pulled her legs onto the bench, folding her knees against her as she leaned her back into Natsu's left arm. He bristled from the sudden contact, his only distraction being Happy plopping himself into Lucy's lap with an all-too cheeky grin. She giggled as his fur tickled against her thigh, causing her to lean into Natsu more. Natsu went as rigid as a board, his face blank.

"Don't look so stiff, young man. Loosen up a bit," the painter requested, making Natsu jump slightly.

"Er…okay…" Natsu stammered, trying to get adjusted. "I don't really know what to do with my arms though…"

"Here, do this," Lucy suggested, taking his arm from behind her and draping it over her waist. Happy then hopped up and sat on it like it was a chair reserved just for him. Natsu was forced to shift the rest of his weight onto his other arm, and Lucy clicked her tongue when she saw the puzzled look on his face. "It's just posing for a picture, Natsu. Pretend that we're being featured in Sorcerer's Weekly!"

They both knew that Natsu had been in that magazine way more times than she had, and he frankly hated it…but then again, he'd never been pictured with Lucy sitting next to him, the scent of her hair nearly overwhelming him as she cradled his little buddy and looked so calm…

Unknowingly a sappy smile filled his face, and that prompted the painter to clap her hands excitedly.

"Perfect!" the woman exclaimed, sizing up her brush and canvas straightaway. "This is going to be beautiful!"

"Is this going to take very long?" Natsu asked very lightheadedly, and while Lucy chided him for being rude and impatient, the woman merely chortled.

"Not at all, my boy. I happen to be very skilled in Picto Magic. I just want to make sure I get the colors just right…"

"Like Reedus!" Lucy hummed contently, then returned to going still. The woman nodded, chanted some spell under her breath, then created a Magic Circle above her canvas, taking her brush and spattering paint straight into it. At a first glance, you wouldn't expect anything close to a masterpiece, but with the satisfying look on the painter's face, it had to something to be proud of. All three of them gasped with pleasant surprise as she held out the finished product to them-it was fantastic.

"Whoa…" Natsu murmured under his breath, amazed that someone was able to capture the essence of the moment in such vivid yet subtle detail. He was practically glowing in the picture, Happy looked ecstatic, and Lucy…was just simply blissful. Even her eyes were just the right shade of brown. Lucy and Happy were just as impressed, with the woman turning to the two wizards with a bright smile.

"You two make such a cute couple!" the woman exclaimed, with Natsu biting his lip as Lucy accepted the portrait. "Your chemistry is something to behold! I've never seen such natural compatibility!"

"Yeah, well, he's my best friend," Lucy chuckled, hoisting her bag higher on her shoulder. "It'd be kinda weird if we didn't have a little chemistry…"

"Ah, I'm sorry to have assumed," the woman responded, looking a bit sheepish. "You looked so comfortable with each other that I thought…"

"It's fine, it happens more often than you'd think," Lucy explained. Natsu nodded flatly.

"Yep, just friends."

"Well, that's a bit of a shame…" mused the woman, with Happy chirping in agreement.

"What a shame indeed-!"

Natsu clamped his hand over Happy's mouth but he was a moment too late, Lucy having already caught the movement.

"What did he say?"

"He, uh…said that'd be lame, indeed! Thus I silenced him because he's _talking too much_."

Happy protested behind Natsu's palm, with Lucy giving them both a raised eyebrow until she turned her attention towards admiring her new picture. She giggled at Natsu's rather flustered expression and the silly grin Happy was wearing before carefully sliding it into her bag, already thinking about where she'd place it in her room as she thanked the artist.

They got hungry after that –Natsu and Happy especially- and somehow they'd drifted straight into a food bazaar, where there was a rainbow of fruit up for grabs along with a few barbecues that each specialized in a different sort of meat. Lucy instantly started grabbing starfruit and mangoes while Happy snagged some fried salmon, only for the both of them to balk when Natsu completely lifted a grill off the ground and shoved a countless amount of ribs into his maw, burping out the bones afterward like some sort of animal. Lucy stared on in horror until a crowd had formed, apparently fans of Natsu's outlandish appetite. They egged him on to eat more –of course that idiot agreed- and after a measly five minutes he'd managed to break some record for the most food consumed in one setting. Lucy smacked her forehead as Natsu paraded around waving the medal he'd received, but he was so darn happy that she couldn't even be mad.

Lucy eventually dove into a clothing store- she promised Natsu she wasn't really interested in buying anything, but she still thought it would be fun to try on the clothes. Of course, Natsu let her, as much as he'd rather be scooping out the rest of the food that was available. It turned out to not be so bad when after the first few fashionable outfits, Lucy became increasingly sillier, emerging at one point dressed like a fairy for kicks. Natsu had burst out laughing at that one, so Lucy retaliated by slapping a sombrero on his head and taping on a mustache, which then got a rise out of Happy.

That launched them both into trying on ridiculous clothes, hoping to outdo the other with nonsense. Lucy sampled a piglet costume, a clown, and some cross between a zombie and a cowboy, while Natsu worked with a punk rock star outfit, a dragon pajama suit, and his cosplay of an angel, even creating a halo of fire above his head for emphasis. Lucy, wearing a toga, had collapsed to the ground in laughter after that, yet both of them went hysterical when Happy emerged with a red mop on his head and tinfoil covering his little body, waving around a stick and doing a terrible impression of Erza.

Of course, their rowdiness got them kicked out, and even though they had to clean up the mess their spirits were not the least bit dampened. In fact, once they finally got to leave, the three of them were smirking at each other like they had just gotten away with murder- and it _definitely_ wasn't because they had rearranged some of the mannequins while they were "cleaning".

"Never thought I'd have so much fun in a clothing store," Natsu hummed, glancing at Lucy afterward. "Ready to round things off with some ice cream?"

"That depends, are you?" Lucy replied slyly.

"You know I prefer fire cream."

"Natsu, how many times do I have to tell you it's called fried ice cream?"

"Yeah, but anything with the word 'ice' in it gives me hives. Like Gray."

Lucy groaned as Natsu walked up to the ice cream stand and immediately ordered three cones – strawberry vanilla swirl for Lucy, fish fillet for Happy, and cinnamon for himself. After passing them all out Natsu promptly set his ice cream aflame, preferring to have his flambéed before he tried to eat it. He grinned at successfully managing to char his dessert, taking a satisfied chomp out of it and shrugging at the girl and cat duo staring incredulously at him.

"What? Don't knock it 'til ya try it."

As Natsu inhaled his treat and Lucy and Happy were still _savorin_ g their delicacies, they drifted past a peculiar shop that immediately captured Lucy's interest. The place was lined wall to wall with everything ranging from musty tombs to the latest bestsellers, and Lucy "pulled a Natsu" and crammed the rest of her ice cream into her mouth to bolt into what she realized what was a bookstore. Natsu stared after her with a strange sense of bewilderment, but shrugged in Happy's direction and followed her in. Almost immediately Natsu could sense nothing but 'old book smell' with a hint of Lucy for good measure, and was hastily distracted by Happy investigating a section dedicated to fish. Shaking his head in amusement, Natsu entertained himself by fiddling with a shelf full of knickknacks, smirking to himself as Lucy kept gushing at the extensive collection of tomes.

Then, crash.

Lucy poked her head around a corner at the sudden sound, finding Natsu buried under the shelf of knickknacks he expertly managed to knock to the floor in one fell swoop –his sandal caught on the rug and he tripped, totally not on purpose. Happy floated over from where he was petting a fish figurine to taunt Natsu before starting to unbury him. Natsu noticed Lucy's disbelieving look afterwards and could only flash an abashed grin.

"My fault, entirely…" he murmured sheepishly, with Lucy rolling her eyes at him once again with a smile before vanishing into the labyrinth of books once again. He sighed hopelessly and freed himself from the mess he made, hurriedly scrambling to put everything back in place when the shopkeeper gave him a stern look. Once he was done, he slipped his hands in his pockets and whistled away, his gaze just so happening to fall on a book about dragons. Thankfully it was mostly pictures, so Natsu contently flipped through the pages and wondered if any of it was accurate. Then again, every dragon wasn't Igneel so how would he know for sure?

"AAAAAAH!"

The scream came from Lucy moments later, and Natsu immediately hurled his book over his shoulder and tore through the store. Although there was a slight detour when he tripped over a souvenir barrel, he managed to locate her. He skid past her aisle, slammed into the wall, then scrambled back and asked what was wrong. She just looked over her shoulder with wide eyes, her jaw hanging partially open as she thrust a book out towards him. He almost thought it had cursed her or something and was prepared to fling it away and kill it with fire, but she spontaneously burst into a slap-happy grin as she whipped open the cover.

"It's the limited edition hardcover version of the final entry in my favorite author's last series! AAAAAAH!"

"…Eeeeeeeh?!"

Her eyes sparkled as she clutched that book like a lifeline. "Oh my gosh this book is so rare…they only ever made twenty copies of the limited edition, and I never got to finish the series because I wanted this version _so bad_ …!"

Lucy was obviously lost in some geeky heaven as she opened to the first page and immediately began skimming its words like she'd go blind at any moment. The sense of wonder that consumed her manifested into a palpable aura around her, and there was no way Lucy was going to be satisfied were she to leave that book behind.

"You want it, Luce?"

"Of course I do!" she gasped, looking like she would pass out were she to part with her rare find. "B-But I don't have enough to buy it…ugh, of all times!"

"I got it," Natsu shrugged, digging into his pocket for the money. Lucy's eyes instantly grew.

"A-are you sure?! I'd hate to make a dent in our funds…I mean, I can live without this…"

"Please, I plan a vacation and you don't think I'd have to foresight to earn a little spending money too?" chuckled Natsu, although he wasn't about to tell her he was technically paying for the book out of his own pocket. Not that he really minded; it was nothing he couldn't earn back. He gasped out of surprise when Lucy was suddenly on his back, hugging him from behind and gleefully rubbing her cheek into his shoulder.

"Natsu, you're the _best_!"

"It's nothing," Natsu assured casually, sliding the necessary amount of jewel to the shopkeeper and passing the book to Lucy. "'Sides, you're probably just saying that because I'm buying you things."

"What?! No!" Lucy exclaimed, almost looking a little hurt. She hesitantly handled the book, her excitement over it deflating a bit. "It's just…you're always so nice to me…you really think I'm materialistic?"

"Lucy, I don't even know what that means. How can I possibly associate it with you?" Lucy opened her mouth to happily explain it for him, but instead he slung his arm over her shoulder again and guided her back out the door. "If I didn't think you were an all-around nice person, I wouldn't have offered."

Lucy suddenly stopped, like she was pondering what had just came out of Natsu's mouth. He slapped a hand over his face feeling he uttered something stupid, but when she didn't immediately snap at him he figured it was okay. Still, the way she was bashfully scrutinizing him was…interesting.

"It's strange…" Lucy murmured, brushing her fingers against her new book gingerly as she gazed at Natsu. "All of this…it feels like something you _would_ do, and yet, I never would have imagined you'd do it…"

"And?" Natsu prodded as Happy landed on his shoulder, not too sure where she was going with this. She cast her gaze at the ground.

"…it's just been a long time since I've had simple fun like this, and it's not because of the nice things you've done…" She glanced at him with her wide chocolate eyes. "I think it's because I get to see another part of you, and see you have fun too. I might've been stressed, but I was worrying about you too, Natsu…"

"Psh, don't worry about me!" announced the dragon slayer, stepping away to strike a pose. "I can take anything life throws me! When life gives me lemons, _I throw 'em back_!"

"Natsu, you're supposed to make lemonade…" Lucy snickered behind her hand. "I dunno if life would appreciate getting attacked by its own lemons."

"In that case, Life shouldn't have thrown them at me in the first place! Life can make its own lemonade!"

Lucy burst out in mad laughter at the subtle absurdity of Natsu's logic, and while he ignored Happy purposefully jabbing him in the shoulder, he felt his face burst into a wide smile, having to close his eyes from how hard he was grinning, not that he ever wanted to stop.

At the end of the day, on the journey back to the hotel, the trio found themselves just taking a walk down the street, at a time when the sky was bathed in the warmest colors and the town appeared empty due to people turning in for the night or having places to be. That gave them a solo view to the splendor that was the sun sinking into the sparkling ocean. There had been a wall keeping them from running straight to the beach and basking in the beauty on the sand, but while Natsu was tall enough to see the view perfectly fine, Lucy still lacked the three necessary inches to even get a peek. A slight pout was on her face after Happy, while flying, noted the radiant colors streaking the expanse.

So in the next moment, Lucy was suddenly in Natsu's arms, and in the moment after that, she was balancing riskily on the thin little brick wall.

"Natsu-!" she squealed, already feeling herself start to wobble precariously. Natsu just beamed as he helped to steady her, then took her hand in his and –noting that it was the one with her guild mark- discretely slid his thumb over it while she was distracted with not faceplanting.

"The girl who walks along the edge of the pier every day is afraid she's going to stumble." His grip on her hand tightened a bit. "Don't worry Luce; I won't let you fall. Do I ever?"

While the now reddish tinge to her cheeks was a signal to other possible thoughts, Lucy's gaze softened just the slightest bit as she finally relaxed, holding out her other hand to help maintain her balance as Natsu guided her along the wall. Now that she had a much better vantage point, she too could bask in the glory of the sunset, blissfully unaware to the way Natsu was smiling up at her with the sappiest grin.

And it was then that Natsu wandered in a different way- it wasn't quite like the way the three of them had aimlessly drifted through the streets of the town, and it wasn't the same as the way his thoughts kept veering dangerously off course whenever she popped into his mind.

His stare was wandering over her, and not in some crazed, perverted way. It wasn't specifically her body that was enticing him- it was just everything about her. The pure essence that was Lucy Heartfilia was unmistakably palpable in that moment, especially when her lyrical laughter hit his ears. A light breeze managed to get her hair to jump up and dance, while the glistening hue of fading sunlight created an otherworldly aura around her, illuminating her presence and giving substance to her carefree smile. For the first time in a long time, Lucy looked completely stress free as she walked along a street of gold, and seeing someone just that at peace with themselves…that was true beauty.

Such a shame he'd probably never be able to put all those into words he could properly articulate…if he tried saying any of that aloud, he'd probably end up telling her she looked like garbage or something.

Happy easily noticed the way Natsu was biting his lip like he was dying to say something –not to mention shamelessly gawking at Lucy- so the cat soared over his shoulder and proceeded to whisper into Natsu's ear.

"You should totally tell her now," Happy goaded quietly, completely breaking the moment and snapping Natsu out of his admittedly lovesick trance. When it finally registered what Happy had suggested, he hastily shook his head.

"Nuh uh, no way! Not on the _first day_ …jeez, I'll scare her off! Not to mention the rest of the time would be incredibly awkward if she rejected me…"

"Well ya gotta tell her-!"

"I k _now_ that, but I'm not just going to blurt it out _whenever_! I've got to have _some_ class."

Happy shook his head in disapproval and backed off, yet Natsu was still stuck with his doubts. He was so excited about the vacation and thoroughly consumed with Lucy's own happiness that he failed to put together a plan as to how to confess to her. Something sappy and romantic? No, that'd be too weird coming from him. A special location? Maybe, but that'd be much too obvious…

Oh yes, this was going to be way harder than he thought.

His confidence was starting to waver a little, but when the sun vanished completely behind the horizon, he felt Lucy suddenly jump off the wall. A delighted squeal burst out of her when he instinctively caught her before she even fell, resulting in him giving her a quizzical look. She beamed up at him and only shrugged a little, as if trying to say she was testing him. He smirked at the idea, but this bloomed into a full-on grin when she began to laugh. It was such a nice sound, and once again Natsu found himself wishing he could put his feelings into words…

But well, words weren't needed to show how happy they both were in that moment anyway.


	3. Day 2: Gratitude

**~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 2: Gratitude_

 _ **July 2nd-**_

The second day of the week-long holiday was looking to be just as fabulous as the first, even though when Lucy woke up, she discovered it was way hotter than it was supposed to be.

Moments later she discovered that source of heat to be coming from Natsu, who had her entrapped in a bear hug under the blanket of the bed. A vein popped on her head as her eye twitched.

' _Jeez! He has all of this huge bed and he's got to be glued to me?!'_

She didn't know how long they'd been stuck in such a pose, but it must not have bothered her much if she'd slept through the night like that. As she rubbed the lingering tiredness out of her eyes, she twisted around to glance at Natsu's face, and he was definitely still sleeping…not to mention mumbling something dreamily in his slumber. Nothing coherent, mind you, but Lucy was pretty sure he was droning on about pineapples.

Sighing after realizing what time it was, Lucy managed to shake herself out of Natsu's chokehold and replace her body with a pillow. Natsu immediately snuggled into the soft substitute, trading in his sleep utterances for obnoxious snoring. Happy's tail twitched at the edge of the bed, but other than that he didn't stir either. She continued to let them rest- at least that would allow her a shower without either of them walking into the bathroom unannounced, especially since Natsu had his shower last night.

"If I'm not safe in my own apartment, why would I be here?" she groaned under her breath, grabbing her bathroom towel and heading for the shower.

And it was a _really_ nice one at that. Temperature was perfect, water pressure was excellent, and Lucy was sure she'd melt from the blissful steam alone.

As she got to washing her hair, her head started to fill with speculations of what she was in for with today's plans. She wanted to assume Natsu had something extreme in mind –she could see him being attracted to the idea of cliff diving- but then again, that didn't feel right. After all, he'd been constantly taking _her_ thoughts into consideration since the whole trip started.

It sort of reminded her of slower times at the guild, when Natsu wasn't challenging everything that breathed to a fight and she herself wasn't desperately hunting for good jobs. They would just sitting around, enjoying the friendly atmosphere and goof off. She wasn't nearly as crazy as Natsu, but she wasn't opposed to doing some wild things either. Even during times when they'd talk about their adventures over milkshakes was always fun, especially when Natsu tried to embellish the tales and made her laugh at how ridiculous it sounded, always knowing the truth.

"Too bad moments like that are so far and few in between," she mused as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping her towel around her and getting straight to work drying her hair. "We're always stopping bad guys, doing strenuous jobs, protecting the guild, saving the day…!"

She looked a little sad as she examined herself in the mirror, a frown pulling at her lips.

"…how would we ever find the time to just _be_ with each other?"

It always bugged Lucy how they were best friends but never did any "best friend" things, but at the same time, he was always somewhere by her side or not too far away, and she could no longer imagine her life without him. Not since he stumbled into it and ignited her world into one full of endless excitement.

"Ah, nevermind…it's way too early for thoughts like that," she scolded herself. "After all, I've always got the rest of this vacation ahead of me…that's more time with Natsu than I could have asked for!"

Feeling a little better, she exited the restroom to grab the clothes she realized she forgot, only to walk out and find Natsu sitting on the edge of the bed, already fully dressed and very obviously holding something behind his back. Lucy paused in the doorway and gave him a skeptical look; he casually smiled.

"All right, what've you got planned…?"

"Something delicious," Happy assured with his mouth watering, cuing Natsu to pull out a basket with a flame-adorned blanket spilling out of it.

"Picnic," was Natsu's following intelligent explanation, making a face at himself when he realized he missed out on the rest of the sentence. "I-I mean, it's a little bit windy today, but it shouldn't be a problem…that is, if you wanna do it…"

Lucy's heart warmed a little at his slight apprehensiveness. "It sounds fine, Natsu. It's another beautiful day after all- why _not_ have a picnic?"

"Yosh! All right!" Natsu whooped, jumping to his feet on the spot and nearly hitting Happy with the basket. "We gotta go get the food and stuff first though, so let's not wait!"

Lucy suddenly felt herself being dragged toward the door, and the only thing that stopped Natsu from pulling her straight out into the hallway where there were people clearly walking around was her shrill cry of:

" _Can I_ please _get dressed first?!"_

. . .

The morning began with an eager hunt through Azalea Town's market for the finest ingredients to make stellar sandwiches, so Natsu and Lucy split up and careened through all the shops. Lucy selected the cheeses, condiments, and drinks while Natsu grabbed the breads, meats, and vegetables, both of them dumping the items into their picnic basket. They then raided the fruits –Natsu insisted Lucy get what she wanted, Lucy made Natsu pick some things out, Happy slipped in a few raw fish- before deciding they had plenty (under Lucy's standards, of course) and started the grand search for the ultimate picnic spot.

"You didn't pick out a place already…?" Lucy asked as Natsu lead her out of the town and into the grassy outskirts.

"Hey, locating a good spot is all part of the adventure, and you should have a say in it too, ya know," Natsu hummed with a shrug. "I figured it'd be way more fun being surrounded by nature than stuffy buildings though, so let's look around here! There's probably a good view somewhere!"

"Erza would be so jealous right about now! She _loves_ picnics," sang Happy, flying ahead of the duo to take point (and not be a third wheel). At this, Lucy gave Happy a curious look, but waved it off.

"Anyway, speaking of that, I'm surprised the two of you are so into the idea of a picnic. It doesn't really fit with your hyperactive natures…"

"Ha! Why not?" Natsu laced his hands behind his neck and grinned down at her. "Picnics are all about food and fun! What's not to like?"

Lucy shook her head and adjusted her grip on the picnic basket. "Figures you'd solely be in it for the food."

"Hey, that's not _all_ I like about 'em!" Natsu pressed his lips together in thought. "They remind me about times when I was a little kid!"

"...like, when you used to live with Igneel?" Lucy pried carefully, a bit surprised when Natsu nodded eagerly.

"Yup! I would gather up a bunch of fruits and berries for every meal while Igneel supplied the meat, and then we'd eat other's flames for dessert!" His eyes lit up at the memory, with Lucy contently listening. "Sometimes he'd tell me all sorts of stories about other dragons, or I'd attempt to wrestle him, not that I ever won. But the point is, those little times _kinda_ felt like a picnic, being outside, eating, and having fun and all…"

He glowed with an air of reminiscence, and Lucy wasn't sure how to follow up, but since he shared a piece of his past, she figured she should do the same. It was only fair.

"I went on a picnic with my mother once," she began quietly, not that she had to talk very loud for Natsu to hear her. Natsu perked to attention anyway. "I don't remember it that well since I was pretty young, but I do know it was of the few times I was able to get away from that stuffy mansion…my dad was on a business trip, and Mama wanted to spend some time with me."

Lucy bit her lip, trying not to get herself choked up, eventually succeeding at shaking it off to continue.

"…it truly was a lovely day. We didn't really say much, but we didn't need to either; just being near each other seemed to be enough at the time. I…don't recall where we were or what we even ate, but…I dunno-"

"Being with her was the most important thing, huh?"

Lucy paused for a moment, glancing at the empathetic look Natsu was giving her. His features were soft but his eyes were warm, somehow knowing exactly what she meant.

He understood.

"Yeah," Lucy replied quietly, gaining a light smile that he proceeded to mirror. Their stares lingered on each other for a long few seconds before Happy fluttered onto the scene, having returned from scoping out the area.

"Hey guys, I found the perfect-!" he started to wail, immediately pausing when he caught the duo gazing into each other's eyes. He merely blinked. "Oh don't tell me you two were totally about to kiss and I interrupted it."

" _Happy_!" Lucy screeched as Natsu felt a nosebleed coming on with all the blood rushing to his head at once. The cat ignored their obviously flustered states and hovered over their heads like some blue-furred cupid.

"Well, if I was interrupting something, just give me the word and I'll go find a fish while you two can get back to-"

"We were just platonically talking!" Natsu wailed breathlessly. Happy clicked his tongue.

"Ooh, 'platonically'. Big word."

"Oh ho ho if you weren't my best friend _I'd_ -!"

"Happy, just show us where this oh so incredible spot is," Lucy interrupted before things could continue to decline. "Otherwise I'll be convinced that it's nothing more than a myth!"

"It does too exist! You're just jealous because _I'm_ the one that found it," insisted Happy, turning about face in midair and floating on. "Psh, it's the greatest picnic spot you're ever going to see…!"

Both Natsu and Lucy figured he was just talking big, yet diligently followed him anyway, as they had sort of forgotten to keep an eye out for a spot with their talk. They followed the blue cat up and over a hill, and the moment they reached the top was when the wind began to blow, with Lucy grabbing onto the hat she decided to wear. Still, when she glanced down, she was left speechless.

"Oh wow…"

To the north was the ocean, sparkling in the afternoon light of the sun, and to the east was the town, but the rest of the surrounding area was nothing but a valley of flowers. A floral rainbow covered the ground below and gave the air the fragrance of an expensive bouquet, and a few kids were running around flying kites in the day's light breeze. Lucy promptly hugged Happy and apologized for doubting him while Natsu nodded in approval.

"Well, it smells nice!" Natsu exclaimed optimistically.

"See? Totally perfect!" Happy boasted, escaping from Lucy to land on Natsu's head. "And totally romantic-!"

"It's _just_ lunch!"

"It doesn't _have_ to be~!"

"Gaaaah…!" Natsu exasperated, falling backwards into the grass with a dull thud. Happy hummed contently to himself as Lucy got to work setting up the blanket, taking it out of the basket and spreading it underneath the shade of the tree. Seeing Natsu sprawled out on the ground, Lucy waved him over with the basket full of food, and in a heartbeat he'd nearly pounced on it. Before his even managed to even get a hand in it, Lucy swiped it out of his way and stared at him sternly.

"I swear I won't eat everything…!"

"That's the one thing I can't hold you to," groaned Lucy, removing a sandwich and tossing it in his direction. Natsu's mouth opened impossibly wide to accommodate for the size, happily munching on it afterward. While Happy crawled into the basket to get ahold of his fish, Lucy and Natsu split up the rest between them. Naturally Natsu had the bigger share and half of it was gone within the blink of an eye, but through his contently stuffed stomach he threw a thumbs up in Lucy's direction.

"Mmm! You know what, I think you make the best sandwiches, Lucy!"

"…are you sure you even tasted any of that that?!" Lucy smirked as she bit into a watermelon wedge. "…but thanks."

She slurped a little from the juiciness of her watermelon, her eyes balking when she felt a trail dribbling down her chin. She hastily wiped it away, but apparently not fast enough, considering it earned a giggle out of Natsu.

Wait.

Lucy blinked and glanced at the boy beside her. "…did you just-?"

" _Nope,"_ Natsu whooped, shoveling three apples, a loaf of bread, and a pie slice into his maw like it was nothing and turning to hide his expression. Lucy stared at him with amusement while taking another bite of her watermelon.

He could act all he wanted, but Lucy knew what she heard…and she saw that blush on his face too.

. . .

After eating, Lucy entertained herself by reading the new book Natsu brought her, while Natsu entertained Happy with a Frisbee. She was more than absorbed into her story through the first few pages alone, but the sounds of Natsu and Happy snarking at each other took her out of it just a bit. Not that she minded- it was good that they were having fun. After a few chapters in, she looked up from the pages and gave them a warm smile.

"Ah, a boy and his cat…"

Happy was prancing and flying around with glee as he caught and tossed the Frisbee back to Natsu multiple times, with the wind at one point changing directions and sending the disc flying backwards and clonking Natsu in the head. Natsu yelped and toppled into the grass with little resistance, laying there like a fallen tree until he picked up on Lucy snickering at him. He rolled his gaze up just in time to catch her with her nose back in her book. Catching him staring again, Happy trotted over to him, grabbed the disc, and bopped him in the head with it.

"Instead of speaking with your eyes, maybe you should use your words," Happy insisted, with Natsu groaning.

"Are you going to badger me all week…?"

"If I have to! Do you really wanna face the wrath of whatever punishment Erza, Mira, and whoever else have in store for you when you get back?!" Happy squalled. "I know you're too good for this world Natsu, but I don't wanna see you depart from it early…!"

"Happy, I doubt they'd kill me…unless I somehow die from embarrassment!"

"Exactly! So go over there and tell her you looooove her."

"…on second thought, maybe the punishment won't be nearly as embarrassing-"

"Natsu!"

"Mrgnh," moaned Natsu, slowly picking his body up and heaving it over towards Lucy. "I'll…talk to her, I guess…"

"That would be a good place to start," Happy suggested flatly, following the dragon slayer to curl up on the blanket for a catnap.

Lucy sensed their approach as Natsu tried to be awkwardly stealthy, plopping his way onto the blanket, sliding over to her, and plunking his head onto her shoulder to peer at her book's pages. She heard Happy smack his forehead in response before sidling next to the picnic basket and mumbling "Hopeless…"

"Hello, Natsu," Lucy tried to say as expressionlessly as possible, but his heavy head was weighing on her shoulder and it was hard _not_ to notice him. So instead she just tried her best not to smirk.

"Hi Luce. Is that book everything you hoped it would be?"

"Yeah, actually!" she exclaimed as she eagerly turned to the next page. "I can't believe I held off on reading it for so long…"

"I'm glad you like it," he beamed, keeping his head on its current perch. She blinked and glanced at him.

"Um, you comfortable?"

"Yeah, actually."

Lucy rolled her eyes and figured it would be more of a hassle to get him to stop, so she left him be. He grinned in response.

Still, she felt a little weird with him just sitting there, especially when she knew that there was no way he has even an inkling of interest in her book –not by any means- but just the same, she didn't entirely mind. It made her think- why did she always let him get away with little things like that all the time?

And then, she realized, maybe it was just her small way of paying him back for all the big things he did for her.

"Hey, why're ya frowning, Luce?" Natsu suddenly asked; Lucy jolted in surprise, as she hadn't even noticed she'd been grimacing. "Something bad happen in the book?"

"No, I'm just thinking, that's all…"

"You probably do more of it than Natsu," Happy murmured from his napping spot; Natsu retaliated by wadding up a napkin and hitting the cat in the head with it. Once Happy was sufficiently silenced, Natsu turned back to Lucy, who had placed a bookmark in her pages and promptly shut it, now staring into the expanse of the sky. The wind whistled through the flowers in the distance, making rolling waves of color in the valley below.

"Natsu…you know I owe you a lot for all this."

"No you don't," Natsu responded happily and quickly. "Don't feel like you're in my debt for anything."

"Well, if not this then how about everything else you've done for me?" She gripped her book and heaved a small sigh. "I-I mean, you brought me to Fairy Tail which changed my life, you're always putting up with me even when I'm at my worst, you look out for me on missions, you catch me when I fall, you helped me see the Rainbow Sakura Tree-"

"I didn't do that last one," Natsu lied blatantly, with Happy snorting off to the side. Lucy gave him a look.

"The point is, you've done _all_ that…and I haven't done much of anything to deserve that."

She felt Natsu lift off her shoulder, so Lucy knew her words must have held some truth. But instead of Natsu calling her out on the imbalance of favors between them, he suddenly flashed in front of her and gripped her shoulders, his friendly warmth from earlier gone and replaced with a boiling seriousness.

"Hey now," he said hoarsely, staring at her with intense eyes. "Don't sell yourself short like that. I don't _ever_ want to hear you depreciating yourself!"

She wasn't entirely convinced, so Natsu shook her a little as if that would dispel her negative thoughts.

"I mean it! I don't do what I do out of pity, you know! I do all those things because you _do_ deserve it, and because I _want_ to do them, and…I can't stand to see my friends in a bad way. Especially you…and if I can see how awesome you are _without_ needlessly 'paying me back', then why can't you?"

"But that's just so much on your shoulders…maybe it doesn't have to be every single time, but your efforts should get _some_ credit…" Lucy's voice grew small. "And I dunno if I do that often enough…"

"But I don't want anything in return other than to see my efforts pay off," Natsu insisted, folding his arms with a smirk. "And besides, you do tons of stuff for me!"

He wailed that a volume that scared off some birds in a distant forest; Lucy gaped while he cringed, but it didn't knock the smile off his face.

"Let's see…you let me crash at your place most the time, you put up with my eating habits-" She snorted at the word 'habits'. "-I even get to sleep in your super-comfortable bed!"

"All of which are things you totally abuse."

"Hey, you told me you didn't really care!" Natsu pointed out obstinately. "That means it's something nice _you're_ doing for _me_."

"Okay, _maybe_ , but letting you practically live at my house isn't really-"

"Er, um…" Natsu rapidly snapped his fingers as he quickly tried to keep his list going. "…ah, you make me not look so stupid!"

"I dunno Natsu, she makes you look pretty dumb sometimes-" Happy chimed in.

"Whose side are you on today?!" Natsu grumbled, turning back to Lucy who was covering her mouth. "But no! I don't know a lot about, well, a lot of stuff, and Lucy's pretty much the only person I can ever ask anything without being harassed for it…"

"But still-!"

"NOT to mention you've always got my back!" Natsu interrupted her again and she threw up her arms. "You helped me bring down Gajeel back when he was in Phantom Lord, you saved me on that waterfall back during the Nirvana thing, and you battled really hard at my side _more_ than once on Tenrou- _during which_ you gave me a boost against Hades, prevented me from falling into a pit, and rescued my scarf, and that's HUGE!"

"You…really remember all that…?" Lucy asked with astonishment, staring up into Natsu's excited eyes. "I-I only did those things because I knew you would do the same for me given the chance…"

" _Exactly_ ," breathed Natsu in relief, kneeling to the ground and draping his hands on Lucy's shoulders again. "And that's why I don't need to be "repaid" as much as you think- should there be a time when I'm not at my best, I know you'll come to pick up my slack. You already know that's what I'd do for you."

Lucy's expression was full of realization, but her smile became one of gratitude that Natsu had to return.

"…' _the_ _two gazed longingly at each other, surrounded by the summer's colors. The wind gently tousled their hair as though nothing could go wrong in the world, especially so long as they had each other. Little did the beloved couple know that soon, a storm would be upon them in great force and bring unexpected turmoil! Yet the man_ still _wanted to profess his love before everything went straight to_ -"

Natsu went blank as rage suddenly popped out of Lucy when she recognized those words- all too immediately she whipped her head around to face Happy, who had dug through her bag and selected a few tasteful pages of Lucy's novel. He apparently managed to locate an excerpt of a romantic scene.

"Stupid cat! I brought that only in case I got inspired- _not_ for you to snoop through!" Lucy wailed, rising to pounce on the feline to get her script back. However, she stood up way too fast on the hill, resulting in her leaning too far in one direction…that being Natsu's direction.

"Ack, Lucy-!"

Lucy fell straight into Natsu's lap, and the force of her fall sent the both of them toppling backwards and tumbling down the hill. Their wailing screams did little to grab Happy's attention, as he just kept reading the paragraphs.

"' _The enamored duo, suddenly entangled in an eternal embrace without warning, felt as though they were spiraling through life, one thing right after another…it was all downhill for them'_ …"

"Ooog…urgh…Lucy…"

"Aw, no! Don't you DARE throw up on me…!"

"I…should have stayed away from all that exotic fruit...OMPH-"

"I SAID DON'T THINK ABOUT IT! How are you even sick- a hill isn't transportation!"

"…' _but they knew once they stopping spiraling, they would be in a much better place than they were before. After all, things had to get worse before they got better, right? They'd be willing to work through the hard times and earn a better future, come what may.'_ …END OF CHAPTER!"

When they finally stopped rolling, they ended up toppling straight into a bed of warm-colored tulips. Lucy was almost flung away by the momentum, but with his nausea residing, Natsu managed to grab her and pull her close to him before she landed on a rather jagged rock. The two of them stared at the deadly-looking boulder disguised among the flowers before turning to each other, obviously out of breath from the excursion. Natsu simply blinked at their newfound closeness, but Lucy rapidly hopped off of him and quickly went about fixing her hair.

"Well, that happened," Natsu laughed, sitting up and scratching the back of his head. "I think that chapter could use a bit of revision though, Lucy-"

"Shutupit'saroughcopy," Lucy moaned hastily, physically swatting away any more accusations he might've had. Natsu quirked an eyebrow at her as she flushed red straight down to her neck from the embarrassment of Happy reading such a scene aloud, but Natsu just threw his head back and laughed again. "S-Stop laughing at me~!

"I'm not laughing at you; I just think it's funny how you got so worked up over this that you tripped down a hill."

"Aaaaugh," whined Lucy, half tempted to pick those flowers and start hurling them at Natsu- but that wouldn't be very fair to the flowers. She drooped her shoulders as she pouted, yet that only served to make Natsu's spirited laugh grow. Now smirking to herself, she waited until his grin forced his eyes shut before leaping on him and making him fall on his back again.

"What, oomph-!"

"Not as funny if I take you down with me, huh?" she simpered deviously, yet Natsu was too caught up in his chuckles to even answer her. When he finally regained control of himself, he glanced to his left and noticed an uprooted tulip that had probably seen better days before the two of them steamrolled over it. He twirled it around in his fingers, realizing he liked the fiery orange color it possessed before reaching up and tucking it behind Lucy's ear. Lucy felt her face heat up at the action, but Natsu only grinned innocently at her.

"Well, look on the bright side. At least now you've got some new material for your novel now…"

"I…" Lucy went quiet, gently brushing her fingers against the tulip. "…guess you're right…"

"'Course I'm right. I'm a certificate genius!"

"…you mean _certified_ genius, maybe?"

"See? There you go, making me look not-so stupid."

As Lucy groaned and ran her fingers through her hair, Happy's shrill voice filled the air and immediately pulled them back into reality.

"Come on, you two! If ya keep wasting time flirting down there, I'mma take the rest of the picnic leftovers and _eat them_ all by myself~!"

"He's threatening the leftovers!" Natsu howled, suddenly back on his feet in one swift movement and knocking Lucy to the ground once again. "Them's fighting words! C'mon Lucy- we'll fight him off! He can't take the both of us!"

"H-hey, don't suddenly drag me in a brawl-!"

Natsu snagged Lucy's hand and towed her up the hill while Happy stood victoriously on top of the picnic basket shamelessly taunting them. Lucy's mind was still reeling from Natsu's incredulous one-eighty, but she told herself that she really shouldn't have been surprised. Bring in food or the possibility of a fight into the picture, and poof- everything else vanished for Natsu.

To think she got her hopes up for just a split second-

"Oh, and by the way, Luce…" Lucy blinked in surprise and looked up at the sound of her nickname, but Natsu kept staring ahead at the hill they were climbing. "I forgot to mention one more _really_ big thing you do for me…"

Her heart unexpectedly jumped. "A-And what's that?"

"…you believe in me." His flashed his toothy smile over his shoulder, seeming a little wider than normal. "Aside from Igneel, no one else has put as much faith in me as you do, and hearing it from you…makes me feel like I can do anything. That means way more to me than anything you could ever give…so thanks for that, Lucy."

A blinding smile instantly filled Lucy's face, along with the beginning signs of a blush, but she ended up slowly shaking her head.

"…nah, no thanks is necessary, Natsu."


	4. Day 3: Transformation

**~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 3: Transformation_

 _ **July 3rd-**_

The third day of their getaway had Natsu waking up to the illustrious sight of Lucy sporting a less-than-modest bikini top and a sarong wrapped snuggly around her hips. Natsu was so not expecting such a vision to be the first thing he'd see, so that unanticipated event was followed by an also unanticipated flustered dragon slayer tumbling out of the bed. Happy snickered bemusedly as he munched on a morning fish while Lucy shook her head disapprovingly at him.

However, this was Natsu.

"...those are some weird pajamas, Lucy."

"Idiot! You said we were going to beach today, remember?" she scoffed at him, slightly like it was Natsu's fault she was in the attire. Perhaps he partially was. "It's already nearly midday and you've been snoring all morning!"

"Oops, I was sleeping so well I forgot. Sorry," he replied honestly, standing back up and removing the twisted blanket from off his head. "I guess yesterday wore me out more than I thought. You should've just gone without me, Luce."

There was the slightest bit of hesitance to her response, but it came with a smile. "Nah, I wouldn't do that. Not without you…and I know how much you like to play in the sand."

His heart swelled at her remembrance of such a trivial fact as he plastered on his signature grin. "In that case, I'll get ready in a heartbeat! Watch-"

When Lucy saw him reach for the only clothing keeping him decent –his blazing red boxers- she immediately flushed and rapidly shook her head.

"What the-?! No way Natsu; absolutely not! Go get your swim trunks, you idiot…!"

He just snickered.

. . .

The majority of the people on the beach were submerged in the waves of the salty ocean, and accompanying them was Happy who was hoping a fish would miraculously drift ashore, and Natsu with his scarf wrapped around his head, romping through waves and jumping around without a care in the world. Lucy giggled slightly at the admittedly adorable childish antics displayed before her as she smoothed out a beach towel on the sand, joining the rest of the beach-goers who preferred the sun over the surf.

Sporting a floppy, wide-brimmed white sunhat and large pink shades, Lucy reached into her beach bag and pulled out some sunscreen. She shivered when she rubbed a cold glob onto her face, but sighed once she got used to it and went on to finish the job.

Natsu chose the wrong moment to turn to her and ask if she wanted to swim, as he ended up getting to watch her lithe fingers glide up and down her slender arms and legs, applying the creamy lotion. Thankfully, Natsu was knocked over by a stray volleyball to the head before Lucy noticed him unintentionally ogling her.

"Natsu…!" Lucy's voice called moments later as a wave washed over him. Natsu groaned- the dragon slayer suddenly just couldn't get a break!

"Y-yeah, Luce?"

"Can you get my back for me?" she asked as normally as possible, waving the bottle of sunscreen at him. Natsu opened his mouth to protest, but as he didn't have any excuse to decline her otherwise reasonable request, he gulped down the lump in his throat that he hadn't been aware of and took the bottle.

"Sure, whatever…" he mumbled as he tried to keep the awkwardness out of his voice, which only resulted in his voice going lower and deeper, earning a look from Lucy. He coughed indifferently and glanced away slightly as a glob on sunscreen squeezed onto his hand. Letting it all go, she slid forward on the towel, folding her arms under her chin for support.

It was after he started rubbing her smooth back and eliciting a relieved sigh from her did he realize that the string to her bikini was…undone.

Ack.

"Aaaaaaahm, Luce? Your…uh…"

"Mm? Something wrong Natsu?"

"Your…well…your bikini isn't-"

"Oh, I know. I untied it so it wouldn't get in your way. I'll fix it when you're done."

She could untie her string but not reach her back to apply sunscreen…?

Women.

Still, once he was done –and perhaps he lingered a _little_ longer than he should have- Lucy readily returned security to her top and sat back up, giving Natsu a quick thanks. Natsu nodded and started making a beeline back for the water, but something cold hit his back before he could make a getaway. His back flinched away from it as he released an unusually nasal whine…which so didn't sound manly in the slightest.

"Hahaha…! Wasn't expecting that!" Lucy gasped between giggles, and Natsu –who wasn't one to blush- blamed the invading redness on his face on the sun. "I just thought you could use a little protection too."

"Noooo," whined Natsu, which wasn't a terribly good follow up to his previous whimper. "I hate that stuff! It makes my skin crawl and tricks my nose and I don't need it anyway! Dragons don't apply sunblock!"

Lucy gave him a look, and desperate to change the subject, Natsu gestured towards the water.

"Anyway, you should play in the water with me! Happy can't go very far and it's no fun by myself…"

"I will when I'm done sunbathing, promise," Lucy hummed as she slid her sunglasses over her face. "I've really got to work on my tan…just look at how _pale_ I am!"

"I dunno what you're worried about- you look fine to me," Natsu mused while scratching his neck. Lucy only folded her arms.

"Easy for you to say! You're, like, naturally sun kissed!"

Natsu looked horrified. "I'll have you know that I have _never_ made out with the sun!"

"That's not-! Oh, nevermind…just go blow off a little steam for a while."

"Luuuuuucy," Natsu droned, plunking himself into the sand but not pushing the issue beyond that. After all, she had promised to join him later, and Lucy was one of the last people to break a promise.

So he amused himself first by chasing the ocean waves as they receded, then hurriedly racing back to shore before they reached him. When he got tired of that, he went seashell hunting, and opted to bother Lucy when he found a really big one that he thought she might like. Lucy then went on to explain that it was a conch, and she proceeded to show him how he could "hear the ocean" with it. It didn't sound like the ocean to him –probably due to his enhanced hearing ability- but the echoic sound he _did_ hear was pretty cool. Natsu never would've thought a shell could do that.

Then he turned his attention back to Happy, who failed at snagging a midday snack fresh from the ocean, and the duo joined forces to do something way more fun- sand castles. The blue cat used his cuteness to charm a pail and shovel from a little girl as Natsu carved a huge moat into the sand. He and Happy worked as one to construct an ambiguous yet somewhat crude castle, and darn it all, Natsu was proud of it, even if the north side did sag a bit. Happy topped it all off with a leaf for a flag, and Natsu smirked –he noticed Lucy peering at their progress over her sunglasses- then breathed a little fire over the sand, immediately forming a castle of glass that glistened prominently in the sun.

"Whoa, Natsu, that's really cool!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed, and _that_ finally got her off her towel, kneeling by the boys and approving of the creation. "It's so pretty…!"

"Thanks," Natsu beamed, failing to keep the pride out of his voice. "It's a trick Levy told me about once…I thought I could give it a try."

He watched her admire his creation a little longer before standing up and stretching.

"Anyway, I worked up a thirst…you want a lemonade or something before we swim? You must be parched from _laying there_ for so long."

"Oh _ha_ ," Lucy snorted, grinning at the spark in Natsu's eyes. "…but yeah, I'll take a lemonade. Thanks!"

He waved it off over his shoulder as he and Happy went to get the drinks. Natsu was still sort of getting used to this "relaxed Lucy", but he kind of liked it too. It was nice to see her not constantly stressed out about her rent or worrying endlessly about the things going on in the guild. Not that he'd ever want her to lose her feistiness or her less-than-desirable quirks. Even "scary Lucy" and "angry Lucy" were still Lucy.

However, he apparently couldn't leave her alone for even a second.

He was almost back to her little spot when he froze up, seeing the undesirable sight waiting for him. It didn't take much effort on Happy's part to see the rainbow of emotions dancing across his face.

Currently surrounding Lucy like predatory sharks seeking a gourmet meal were three _guys_ –'overcooked sausages' was a more accurate description to Natsu- and they were leering down at the blonde like she was some sort of prize. However, the small nerdy one with the book in his hand appeared more interested in the fact that he and Lucy shared a similar taste in literature, while the snobby one with jet black hair looked ridiculously refined and had probably discerned Lucy's rich upbringing. It was that third beefcake with the suffocating muscles and lewd simper that particularly made Natsu's blood boil.

At his distance, the conversation they were having with Lucy should have gone unheard…but being the dragon slayer he was, fortunately and unfortunately, Natsu could hang on every obviously sugarcoated word. And it made him want to go hurl behind a palm tree.

"So tell me again why a _fine_ specimen of a lady is doing out here without proper…attention?" crooned the beefcake, eyes everywhere but on Lucy's face. "It's a good thing we came across you, not that it would be hard to miss a striking beauty such as yours…"

"I can tell by the way she poises herself that she's cut from the finest of society's cloth as well," remarked the snob. "A girl of such a respectable nature…I approve of."

"And she's got brains as well as beauty!" squeaked the nerd, taking a look at the books she was keeping in her bag, the one Natsu bought for her on the top. "A rare and fortuitous combination indeed…! She's the total package!"

Lucy just smiled and politely thanked them for the compliments, although it wasn't hard for Natsu to spy the pinkish glow that dusted her cheeks.

His heart clenched.

"Natsu?" Happy asked carefully, feeling the temperature rise around them on that already hot day, and wondering why the dragon slayer hadn't moved yet.

Oh, Natsu had half a mind to go stomping and snorting over there to chase those guys away like the annoying pesky seagulls they were…except, they weren't really hurting her, she could handle herself, and he didn't really have the right to ward them off anyway. Lucy wasn't his…and frankly, she belonged to herself.

Didn't stop him from glaring daggers at those guys and hoping they'd spontaneously combust though.

"Anyway-" Beefcake had taken it upon himself to slide next to Lucy and sit partially on her towel, letting the sun highlight just about every bulging muscle on his tanned body. "We were just wondering if you wouldn't mind spending the day with us…we can tell you're here on vacation and we'd hate for you to be _bored_ …"

"I can easily accommodate to your refined and exquisite tastes," added the snob. "Food, entertainment, transportation, you name it- I'll have you covered, darling, just say the word."

"And I'd love to talk literature with you! I'm sure you've read and loved all the classics given your current collection!" exclaimed the nerd.

"Ahahaha, as wonderful as that all sounds-" Lucy was using a bittersweet voice as she nonchalantly moved away from Beefcake. "I'm already here with someone, and we've got plans for the rest of the week."

Natsu nodded firmly where he stood. Damn straight.

The beefcake, obviously the leader of the trio at this point, didn't relent. In fact, he almost looked entertained at Lucy's rejection.

"Oh yeah, we saw that _kid_ you were with. Pinky is _quite_ the catch," he chided sarcastically. "Splashing and sandcastles, huh?"

Natsu flushed an angry red as the snob interjected with his own two cents.

"He's certainly not the most socially adept either- even just a once over is enough to clarify that."

"Doesn't appeared that educated either," remarked the nerd, nervously poking at his book.

"What lower class fool wears a scarf in the _summer_?! They're out of season and impractical!" the snob scoffed again.

Lucy immediately started glowering disgustedly at them. "Hey, you just wait a second-!"

"Face it Cutie, we could give you a better time than that juvenile chump," purred the beefcake. "…but of course, if you'd rather lower yourself for him, we won't stop you."

"That's _it_ ," Lucy snarled, around the same that snapping a bone sounded _really_ good to Natsu. "You don't even know him, so stop talking crap about him, okay?! Sure he might be a little…different than most guys, but-"

"Sweetie, open your eyes," Beefcake deadpanned, drumming his fingers against his folded arms. "We could give you things you didn't even know you wanted like real men."

Ooh, _that_ statement was charged with a challenge. Grinding his teeth together so hard that his jaw hurt, Natsu had thrust the lemonades into Happy's grip as he started debating on whether to bury those three alive or barbecue them to a crisp.

Alas, he didn't get to execute either plan, but what did happen made him extremely proud while internally wounding him at the same time.

" _Listen_ ," Lucy spat, acid coating her tone as she rose to her feet and jabbed a pink-painted nail into the torso of Beefcake. "That so-called juvenile chump is my best friend, and he's ten times the man that you three would be combined!"

" _Is_ he now?" challenged the snob, a sharp look in his dark gaze. "Please, what's he going to do? Splash us with a little water? Throw some sand at us with his little shovel?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "I know for a fact you'd be getting him pretty fired up right about now."

Ah, _that_ was his cue.

Lucy's lips twitched with slight amusement as Natsu had not only fried off most of their hair with a single and rather impulsive fiery roar, but also completely disintegrated their swimwear. There was a twisted satisfaction on Natsu's face as he snarled at them from the distance, while people began shrieking about indecency somewhere behind him. Eventually a lifeguard arrived to escort the exposed trio to a beach that was "more suited to their exotic tastes".

"Jeez…" Natsu sneered, noticing Lucy being handed her drink by Happy out of the corner of his eye. She looked a mix of pissed and bemused, but he figured he'd better get some clarification just to be safe. "…you okay, Lucy? I would've intervened sooner, but they weren't hurting you and you hate when I make a scene-"

"I'm fine Natsu," Lucy replied warmly, although a shy smile crossed her face. "Nice entrance though."

Natsu managed a "heh" as he took a seat under her umbrella and sipped his drink, and his sudden reserved behavior made Lucy concerned. She poked at the bendy straw in her cup and swirled the ice around.

"Um, how much of that did you hear…?"

"Enough," was all Natsu mumbled, which Lucy then translated to "all of it". She bit her lip, knowing that there was no way Natsu was going to take any of that well, considering some of it was partially true. An uncomfortable silence befell them, and desperately wanting to get rid of it, Lucy grinned and rose to her feet. She stood up over Natsu, who was currently hiding his semi-miserable look behind his scarf. He raised an eyebrow at her; she held out her hand.

"Hey, come on now. You ready to go swimming?"

In a heartbeat Lucy had been slung over Natsu's broad shoulders as he darted toward the ocean with a reborn grin on his face. She rolled her eyes at the manhandling but didn't complain.

"Thought you'd never ask, Luce!"

On another heartbeat she found herself suddenly floundering underwater with her now water-logged hair floating around her. But once she broke the surface and tossed her head back –vengefully splashing the dragon slayer in the process- Lucy found him giving her that heart-stoppingly bright white grin on his face.

And that was something no one else could ever give her. Not the way Natsu could.

. . .

His ego still bruised from earlier, Natsu kept Happy preoccupied with a batch of exotic fish as Lucy took a breather and continued reading her book, leaving him to think up a whole new way to impress her. Confessing anything now wouldn't be taken seriously after the afternoon's little fiasco, and anything he could've used today was undermined because of it…

Taking his mind off of things for a bit, he let Lucy decide where and how they would get dinner, and she tastefully selected a semi-fancy restaurant that specialized in spicy foods. He appreciated her consideration towards him, but now he had to suck it up and slog through an overly nice meal…!

Time to be an adult.

His outfit didn't need to be excessively fancy –and he knew he'd pale in comparison to Lucy anyway- so he went with khaki shorts and a black and gold flannel shirt with rolled up sleeves. Happy insisted he pop his collar as he wrapped his scarf around his neck, as Natsu of course still insisted on wearing his beloved muffler…but thinking about it only made him want to punch that Beefcake and his cronies until their faces were inside out. Bastards had no idea who they were messing with.

"You ready to go?"

Lucy flounced in with such a casual flair that Natsu readily agreed, but the wind was still knocked out of him when he turned and got a good look at her.

She sported a simple strapless sundress, mostly white with cool blue flames running up the sides. A matching blue headband kept her loose hair from draping over her face, and casual sandals graced her feet. An overall subtle style, yet alluring at the same time. Ooh.

"Uh, Natsu-?"

"Fine!" Natsu squeaked, then hastily attempted to redeem himself. "Um, I mean…you look nice. And, uh, smell good too."

"Thanks Natsu," Lucy chuckled slightly as she hooked her arm in his. She then glanced over her shoulder back at Happy, who was for whatever reason hopping on the bed. "Sorry the restaurant doesn't allow cats, Happy…if you want, we can still go someplace else-"

"Nope, Natsu got me lotsa fish, so I'm in my own personal heaven!" Happy sang before gaining a sleazy look. "Besides, don't let _me_ be the third wheel. You two go and be aloooooone, because you liiiiike each other and I don't really wanna watch you get all mushy."

Lucy retorted with her expected refuting comment; Natsu, as usual, didn't _deny_ the claim, but absolutely wasn't going to make a remark either as he quickly guided Lucy out of the room. Happy only snickered as they left, as he had his own date with some fish to attend to.

Getting into the restaurant was way easier than Natsu anticipated, and they even got a nice out-of-the-way booth as well. Instead of a boring barricading wall to their side, there was a window that overlooked the beach, framed in palm trees and the expanse of the sky itself. The current pink color was ringing in the navy evening, and Lucy was already able to point out a few of the summer constellations starting to peek out. Natsu listened to every word and he loved the way her eyes sparkled when she discussed something she was passionate about.

Aside from a slip up when they were ordering their meals –Natsu had taken it upon himself to order for both of them, but he mispronounced what Lucy wanted and nearly ended up with an exotic animal on his own plate- everything went smoothly. Natsu told her a few stories of adventures before she joined Fairy Tail, and Lucy reassured him that she was having a fantastic time before ranting happily about what the rest of the week had in store. He smiled and contently listened, although he cursed himself when his thoughts migrated onto other things. Things that were made blatantly obvious earlier at the beach and now wouldn't leave him alone.

Smart. Rich. Suave. Things that were so totally not him…and therefore, that made him so totally not Lucy's type.

Natsu still had trouble with mixing up words and reading anything to that very day, he could never hope to match Lucy's prim and proper upbringing even if she herself had rejected it, and he definitely wasn't the type to –ahem- woo her with a flirty look and a few cool sentences. Even trying to picture it always ended up with him looking like a dork.

He was just Natsu, and for some reason he felt that having oversensitive smell, a diet consisting of fire, and inexplicable pink hair didn't really seem to be boyfriend material to him. The fact Lucy even sacrificed so much of her time to be with someone as, er, simplistic yet rowdy as him was incredible. Yet another reason why he really didn't want to do anything risky that would strain their relationship. Nothing was worth losing such a delicate pleasure he was grateful to have.

The food came remarkably quickly while Natsu was in the middle of a boisterous and mostly true tale, and one whiff of the dishes from paradise instantly derailed Natsu's thoughts and redirected all focus towards his stomach. Drool drizzled down his chin as he inhaled the heavenly aroma of the meal before him…and in the next second he was wolfing everything down like this was his last chance to eat. Even with food flying everywhere, Natsu managed to spot the peculiar way Lucy glanced at him. He saw her eyes dart discretely to the side to make sure no one else was staring before deftly taking the time to _savor_ her dish.

Self-conscious in a way he'd never been before, Natsu reached for some chopsticks and awkwardly stabbed at the bowl of noodles and meat before him. It was so uncomfortable prodding and slicing at every single bite he planned to take –not to mention needlessly meticulous- but he endured, and for extra assurance he slowly chewed the grub instead of nearly swallowing it all whole. Lucy gave him wordless approval for the effort, so he hoped he had earned another page in her book of good graces.

Miracles being what they were, Lucy finished before him –growing accustomed to the usage of a knife over tearing into everything with his fangs consumed much of his time- and she excused herself to the bathroom. Natsu let her go, already putting his money down to pay the bill and tip their rather generous waiter. Overall, dinner hadn't been so bad. It was _really_ tasty, and he got to learn a lot of new things about Lucy. Win-win in the end, and he smiled sheepishly, wondering if this would be a good day to tell her how he felt after all.

…it wasn't until he started thinking about the possibility of dessert and taking note of the moon rising outside did he realize that Lucy had been gone for a while. Perhaps she was just "freshening up" or whatever women liked to do in the bathroom, but Lucy said she'd be back quickly. That was starting to rub him the wrong way, and the next thing he knew, his instincts were screaming at him that something just wasn't right.

He immediately started darting through the rather crowded establishment and tactlessly shoved his way to the restrooms. People hollered some rather distasteful things in his direction, but he couldn't care less about them at the moment. It seemed like the labyrinth of people would never end, and it all only made him more anxious. He was sweating and his heart was racing by the time he reached the bathroom area, and once he made it out of the maze of patrons, his chest locked on the spot.

Pinned very tightly to a wall was Lucy, and the one doing the pinning was none other than Beefcake, busy silencing any words that might have spilled out of Lucy's mouth with his own two lips.

And judging by the tears and petrified look on her face, Lucy obviously didn't approve of this.

Time seemed to stop as the world went red for the dragon slayer, everything going silent in the next moment as pure, unfiltered rage consumed every one of his senses and threw him into autopilot. His thoughts were spinning and he was just so _furious_ that he felt like destroying everything in sight, but his arms and legs weren't under his control at the moment and the detached sensation was dizzying. All that was clear was how distressed Lucy was…

' _How DARE you touch Lucy like that, you filthy bastard! Make another stupid move again and I'll frickin' kill you!'_

When his senses began to return and he slowly faded back into reality, Natsu felt his knuckles tingling profusely like they had smacked hard into concrete. His chest was heaving angrily, his blood was beyond boiling –it was disturbingly sweltering even for him- and finally his vision came back…although he didn't like what he saw in the slightest.

On the ground in front of him was Beefcake with a bloody and somewhat scorched face, and despite knowing that he totally deserved it, there was unwanted surprise on the parts of his expression that hadn't been completely crunched. Scanning around, Natsu's sweeping gaze found that everyone in the forming crowd was utterly gaping at him with dropped jaws, but it wasn't with scorning looks or stares of shame. There was some serious fear in those eyes; a sight Natsu recognized all too well and far too many times.

Alarmed, Natsu knew his next move should have been to figure out what was wrong and what had everyone so spooked, but instead he made the mistake of seeking Lucy first.

Her hands were covering her mouth while her brown eyes were staring straight at him, locked into nothing else as she trembled nervously. There was a bit of relief in that sea of shock within her gaze, but it was drowned by the horror that flooded her face.

Now shaken to the core, he took a hesitant step back from the commotion, which enabled him to see his faded reflection in the window. His breath caught in his throat.

Mavis, not only did his Dragon Force come out…but he Dragonized.

He had transformed.

Red scales took over his skin more than ever before, and large gnarly dragon horns twisted out of the sides of his head. His fangs grew in size and protruded completely, and his eyes were razor sharp with pure intensity…thankfully his feet were mostly the same aside from being scaly, but his hands now sprouted thick claws and the spines on his back has sliced his nice shirt into shreds. One more push of fury and he probably would've popped out wings and a tail.

But damn if anyone would dare to prey on Lucy like that. It was a bittersweet victory- he'd made the dirty bastard pay even if Natsu knew that would never be enough, but now…these people…were scared of him. Including Lucy.

"Natsu, it's okay-!" Lucy began once she saw the shift of emotion in his eyes, but he didn't want her false reassurance. He was aware that she probably needed him right then, but…not while he was like _this_.

He could already hear the whispers –"Not human." "What IS that thing?" "He's something out of nightmares!" "Monster!"- and he knew that at least a fraction of Lucy's thoughts were just the same.

He shamefully bolted before things could get any worse.

. . .

Returning back to the hotel room quite distraught, Lucy was guiltily relieved for Natsu's outburst, as it took her mind off the tragedy that nearly befell her. She was still deeply upset about it –right as she planned to call for Natsu and grab her keys Beefcake took on an aggressive approach- but now her heart ached for the dragon slayer. First his very way of life had been mocked and his precious scarf had been badmouthed, and now he probably felt horrible for letting himself get out of control like that… Still, the transformation had come on because of her sake…

Before she could measure the weight of that implication, Happy suddenly plowed into her arms, his whole body quivering nervously.

"He won't talk to me," was all the cat could manage out, and it was no feat to discern just who "he" was.

Lucy found Natsu on the floor next to their ridiculously large bed, apparently feeling unworthy of sharing it with her anymore. Part of her wanted to roll her eyes at how melodramatic he was being, but at the same time, she could understand why he was acting the way he was, and she wasn't going to just write off his feelings like they were nothing.

After taking a detour to change into her sleepwear, Lucy shuffled over to drape herself over the now primarily human dragon slayer. It was sort of a sideways hug given his position, but Lucy knew it would just have to do.

"I won't make you talk right away, you know," she said gently, rubbing soothing circles into his taut back. "But please, just let me say something in the meantime…"

She felt him tense, but there was no sign of protest. Smiling with melancholy, she gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"I appreciate what you did back there…he had me helpless, and if you hadn't stepped in…well, I'd hate to think how far that jerk would've gone if you _didn't_ act."

His body froze- obviously he was thinking the same thing, but he persisted in being silent. Lucy noticed that he tucked his head deeper under his arm to hide it even more from view.

"Don't be ashamed, Natsu- I know how it all must have seemed, but I could never be scared of you, nor could I hate you. The transformation took me by surprise is all, and coupled with what I'd just gone through…it was a lot to take in."

He remained still. Lucy heaved a sigh.

"I'm not saying resorting to violence was the right way to handle the problem…and the same goes for partially transforming into a dragon…"

Lucy pulled herself up and gently coaxed Natsu's head out of its hiding place. His eyes were squeezed tight and he was biting his bottom lip, trying hard not to look at her. She shook her head at him before pressing her soft lips to his cheek for a quick peck- his body skyrocketed in temperature.

"…but I'm thanking you for it anyway. I appreciate everything you do, Natsu, and I don't tell you that nearly enough, no matter what you say otherwise."

She removed herself from him and crawled into the bed, her body disappearing somewhere under the covers. It was a rather cold night, and sleep escaped her anyway as it was stolen away by less than pleasurable visions throughout the darkness…

Natsu never removed himself from the floor.


	5. Day 4: Smoke

**~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 4: Smoke_

 **July 4th-**

Lucy just about had a panic attack upon awakening the next morning, as the room was dangerously devoid of Natsu. She pieced together that he must have snuck out via the balcony in the middle of the night –wow, just like back at her apartment!- plus he had left a note written in some godawful handwriting, accompanied by some horrendous simple grammar mistakes, but bless his innocent soul that he tried…and thankfully, the message rang clear.

 _I want to be alone today…I'm really sorry. I'll see you tonight, if you want- go down to the beach after nightfall._

 _Hope you understand,_

 _-N. Dragneel_

"I'm pretty sure the word 'want' has an 'a' in it…and tonight's got an 'h' somewhere," Happy critiqued to himself, skimming the note over Lucy's shoulder and scrutinizing each mistake. However, seeing the clouded expression on her face, the blue Exceed delicately patted her head. "Aw, don't worry Lucy. He'll be okay…he probably just needs the day to get his words together. …I'm impressed he managed to even write what he did."

"Happy, that's not nice," Lucy scolded, and Happy receded into himself.

"Sorry…was just trying to lighten the mood…"

"…I know, sorry Happy." She petted him between the ears, earning a content hum from the cat. "But I guess it looks like we're just going to have to make do without Natsu…"

Happy was just as hesitant as she was to consent to that, but what could they do? Natsu needed a little space, and they had to give it to him. Lucy thought she had made it clear that she wasn't mad nor did he have to be ashamed, but perhaps there was just something he needed to work out for himself. Even though he offered to see them tonight, Lucy was pretty bummed out and hurt that she'd be without him for the day, as it almost seemed like something was missing now…

Like something was missing from _her_.

Natsu's radiant smile and friendly warmth had been a constant during the trip so far, and a day without that just wasn't natural to Lucy…and through that, she was beginning to realize that being without Natsu at all wasn't natural. With him gone, everything seemed to lack a certain vibrancy that she'd grown accustomed to…

"Don't worry, I'm still here Lucy," Happy assured later on after they ate a rather quiet and uneventful breakfast. Seeing as Lucy had merely poked and prodded at her well-balanced meal, Happy felt the need to cheer her up a bit. "I'll protect you today!"

"Mm, thank you Happy," Lucy said with a smile, although even Happy could tell her heart wasn't all the way into it. He couldn't blame her either- he felt the same way.

. . .

The day seemed to slog on without Natsu's boundless energy to spur it on, and both Lucy and Happy seemed a little lost without the dragon slayer giving them some sort of direction or badgering for them to do some activity. His zeal could bring appeal into every day, and that was something both Lucy and Happy were extremely running low on. At one point they just sat on the bench in Azalea Town's main square, watching the people drift by and secretly hoping they'd catch a glimpse of pink or a scale scarf dashing among the crowd. Yet they had no such luck, and Lucy felt her heart sink a little- Natsu was the third member of their team, and he was their partner. Without him they were out of balance –she felt out of balance.

Deciding not to waste the day, Lucy suggested that they go check out the aquarium- it would be educational for Lucy and fascinating for Happy, so at least they both could get something out of it. She stood up and slapped on a perky smile mainly for Happy's sake; Happy shook off a bit of his glumness and eventually agreed, hoping that the aquarium would be passing out free samples.

"Happy, they're not going to serve their main attraction for a late brunch, you know."

"Well it would certainly attract me!"

Lucy managed a genuine smile at that one before reaching the aquarium's entrance, which was surprisingly empty for being one of town's biggest draws. Happy reveled in it though, stating that there'd be less of a chance for someone to catch him grabbing a bit to eat.

' _Yeah, Happy! I wouldn't mind grilling up one of these for myself!'_

Lucy jumped and whipped her head over her shoulder; of course no one was there, as she and Happy were the only two in there, yet that voice was so clear and crisp that she couldn't have possibly imagined it…right? She glanced over at Happy who was giving her a strange look- obviously he hadn't heard anything…

It must've just been in her head.

"Jeez…get a grip on yourself, Lucy. You can handle a day without him," she scolded herself, although she didn't sound entirely confident on that fact.

And boy, was she starting to prove herself wrong.

No doubt she was into all the exotic sea life, while Happy acted like he had first dibs on an all-you-can-eat buffet, yet there was always some nagging feeling in the back of her head. While Lucy's focus was primarily on the dolphins that flipped about and did tricks for her, seals that happily waved in her direction, and whales that swam by with the utmost majestic flair, she kept seeing _things_ out of the corner of her eye.

Things like Natsu leaning in doorways smirking at Happy watching the fish like he was reading a menu. Natsu sitting on a bench behind them, simply basking in Lucy's pleasure. Natsu leering over her shoulder, wearing the same broken-hearted look he had the night before.

"Wh-what's wrong with me…?" she murmured to herself, rubbing at her eyes as if that would chase away her imaginary Natsu.

Yet she failed; her mind _still_ preferred to spend more energy putting an imaginary Natsu into everything.

He would walk alongside her with his hands folded behind his head, teasing her for being so entertained by fish that would have better use being eaten. He would throw his face up against the glass and try to match the expressions of any aquatic life that happened by. He would stand in the middle of the hall, happily calling for Lucy to watch as he waved his arms about pretending to be an octopus. He would just _be_ there, even if it was just him complaining about Lucy taking too long observing some endangered species of seaweed, or if he was spending too much time trying to scare her by being a "fire land shark" and darting through the long corridors like a ninja. In the end, he'd throw his arm over her shoulder like he _always_ did and ask if she was having fun, and his face would light up when she told him yes, his grin impossibly wide and practically reflecting in her eyes…

Somehow he just made it all better, even if he wasn't actually there.

"Sheesh," she scoffed to herself, wiping at her slightly damp eyes after mistaking some rare endangered spiky pink coral for her dragon slayer. "I guess I'm more attuned to Natsu than I ever thought…"

Happy heard this and pricked his ears to attention. "You miiiiiss him, Lucy?"

"Yeah-" She cut herself off when she caught his smirk and retaliated with a glare. "Oh stop, you do too! Besides, I'm more worried than anything…I've never seen him get so enraged like that outside of a battle…"

"…he cares about you a lot, you know," Happy stated carefully, wringing his paws together. "I mean, he freaks out hardcore when you're hurt or kidnapped…seeing you so compromised like that probably just made him snap."

"It doesn't help that it was the same guy who had harassed us beforehand," Lucy murmured, hands on her hips. "Natsu was already aggravated, and _that_ really set him off…"

She shivered as she remembered the incident first hand; the squirms of her desperate escape attempts as Beefcake kept her pinned to the wall, and right as she truly became scared was right when Natsu's face poked out of the crowd. Her heart soared in relief, but in the same instance Natsu's whole expression shattered. He was ghostly horrified, slightly hurt, and downright pissed, and then it all just happened at once…

One moment there had been a man forcing himself upon her, the next she'd been gently nudged to the ground and tucked behind by a half-man half dragon, who proceed to yell obscene things before crunching a guy's face in. It was nothing but pure instinct before her, and even from Lucy's spot behind him she could see the budging veins in his neck, the clenching of his fists, the enraged snarl of his face, and the smoke puffing out his nose and mouth in angry clouds, just _daring_ the creep to even move an inch while _he_ was there.

Yes, her initial reaction was fear…but as he came down from his furious high and got terrified at all the people staring at him, she realized that he wasn't some out of control monster; it had happened because he felt that's what he needed to do to protect her, and his rightfully justified worry made him go overboard.

"…I really hope he'll be okay," Lucy whispered, clutching a fist to her chest. She then felt Happy hugging her arm, watery tears at his eyes.

"You know Natsu- when bad things happen, sometimes he's gotta be alone to cool down, and then he comes back swinging in full force," he reminded her, biting on his lip. "…I really think his biggest worry is what you think of him, but don't tell him _I_ told you that."

Happy grew a little concerned when Lucy didn't respond immediately, so he let go of her arm and hovered silently behind her, letting the thought sink in as they worked their way back out of the aquarium.

"But…why…?"

The cat halted as soon as he heard Lucy's words, a guilty look crossing his face. Because _he_ knew the answer, and she still didn't.

"He liiiikes you."

Happy had been too far away and too quiet for Lucy to hear.

. . .

When the sun gave way to the moon and darkness fell over the beach, Lucy and Happy both anxiously and eagerly scrambled out of their hotel room, making a direct beeline for the beach. Her braided hair smacked against her mostly exposed back as Lucy darted across the sand, her flowing skirt billowing behind her. The beach was completely empty except for the encompassing sounds of the ocean, and the more Lucy ran, the less she saw of Natsu.

The only sign of life on that beach aside from themselves was in the form of a gathering not too far away, down by a cove. Lucy halted her frantic darting around to squint into the distance, trying to make sure she was seeing things right. Both the bunch of torches that lined the shore and many people's enthusiastic laughter lit up the night, and Lucy deduced that it must have been a luau. After seeing how inviting it all appeared, the duo exchanged a look.

"…we could go over there," Lucy suggested obviously, addressing the elephant in the room. "I don't see Natsu's pink head over there, but I'd hate to waste all that time searching the beach for naught…"

"Okay, it could be fun!" agreed Happy, already rubbing his paws together. "Maybe they've got a food table!"

"Surely, but who knows if we'll even be welcomed? Let's _just_ go scope it out."

"Aye, scope it out for the goods!"

Grinning at Happy's simple-mindedness, Lucy coddled him close to her and emerged into the crowd, subconsciously expecting to be turned away for showing up out of the blue. However, the group welcomed both her and Happy with open arms, draping leis over both their necks and giving them nothing but smiles. One hula girl even sashayed up to Lucy and pinned a large pink flower into her hair. Lucy's face flushed slightly and she couldn't help but get caught up in the lively atmosphere that filled the luau. It was friendly, spirited, and good clean fun, and at some point when Happy ventured off to the snack table, Lucy worked herself into the middle of the crowd, gleefully turning strangers into friends as she danced.

And then the drums started.

Every beat seemed to fall into sync with the rhythm of Lucy's heart, thrumming through her veins and resonating with her very soul. Astonished, Lucy glanced around as the crowd burst into erratic cheers and gathered around in one giant pack. The outcry of the crowd nearly drowned the music, but as Lucy hunted down the source, she turned around at just the right moment and got an eyeful.

In the middle of the enthusiastic drummers were two dancers, whooping and hollering to the sky as they danced around, dragging torches of fire to form a rectangle on the ground and mark their territory. After sectioning off a good area, they tossed back their heads and blended into the music, moving with a constant sway in their step that was spellbinding. They moved in perfect sync with each other and the sound, almost as if the music itself was guiding them along. Even the slightest of movements –a head tilt, a hip shake, a foot stomp- were well-paced and charismatic.

"I've been waiting all night for this!" squealed one girl next to Lucy, grabbing the Celestial Wizard's arm and giving her an excited shake. "The Fire Dancers are finally performing! It's always a hot show, and I'm not just talking about the fire, hm hm…"

"Fire…dancers…?" was all Lucy murmured in response, but the other girl completely lost interest with her once a loud and wild call pierced the air- a shout that hyped the masses yet made them anxious for what was to come just the same. It was a loud, attention-grabbing, and dominant cry, just like fire itself.

The twin dancers spun about and backed up, making way for the source of the call and quite possibly the main attraction- _they_ had only set the stage. The music got faster, as if ramping up the suspense in the crowd, and Lucy couldn't figure out why she was suddenly getting so worked up- perhaps it was just the rush from the party?

"I'M ALL FIIIIIIIIIRED UP!"

And then there was freaking Natsu.

Lucy's eyes nearly fell out of her head when that fool tumbled in out of seemingly nowhere, making a show out of sending several plumes of flames to the sky to announce his already overbearing –and deliciously shirtless- presence. After riling up the crowd even further, the twin dancers tossed their fire batons at him; Natsu caught and ignited them all by himself with shrewdest grin _ever._

Typical Natsu, always making ostentatious entrances…

And yet Lucy had never blushed so hard in her life.

There was that raving lunatic, hooting and parading around in his grass skirt amongst other accessories with the flaming batons twirling about at his sides, making a complete spectacle of himself. He marched around his area with immense swagger, driving the observing crowd insane. As much as Lucy wanted to tear her eyes away, interrupt everything and demand he explain what he was up to…she couldn't. Natsu's performance had her captivated.

She'd never seen anything like it from him before – normally every movement out of Natsu was boisterous and unpredictable, unexpected and always with an overdose of power…but not here. Now, there was grace in the way he swept the flames across the dark expanse of the night; there was precision in each step and swing. He knew exactly what he was doing when he spiraled about, letting the streams of fire trail around him and trance everyone with the brilliant blaze and empowering scent of the smoke.

He matched the rhythm of life itself, looking so in his element as he was surrounded by flames…

Gah, it was mesmerizing.

There was one moment when he came down from his heated adrenaline high and allowed his gaze to fall on the crowd. All too soon, he spotted that radiant blonde hair and locked eyes with Lucy. The expression on Natsu instantly dipped into one of surprise, shock, and elation, and he actually nearly dropped a torch (yet smoothly worked it into his little routine). Lucy couldn't supress her giggle at his slip up, eyeing him shyly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and casually waved, hoping that he'd caught her smile.

Sheesh, you'd think she just unlocked something primal.

Something like a cross between a roar and howl ripped from Natsu's throat, serving as a bold declaration rather than a challenge, and sending the surrounding flames straight up to the sky. The choreographed grace from before vanished as the batons snaked remarkably fast between his fingers, the wisps of flame making his predominantly exposed skin glisten with the light. Lucy was left fixated on him- his abrupt change in dancing style was hypnotizing; it was like he was in a battle against an unknown enemy, and his sudden ferocity had her and everyone else on edge just watching him.

Natsu was showing off brazenly now, rolling the batons up and down his arms and even tumbling them across his shoulders and along his torso. He perched himself on one foot as the upper part of his body whirled around, muscles straining against the pressure and the heat. He followed up by tossing the torches into the air, catching one in his teeth and proceeding to twirl the other above his head before sweeping it in front of him. All the while, Lucy couldn't help but noticed that his focus was nearly all on her at that point…

The drums picked up in a racing crescendo again, Natsu's feet matching the beat until he back flipped and brought himself to the ground. The crowd was worried for a moment until they broke into a collective gasp when he rolled forward afterwards, breakdancing to the speed of the drums and trapping himself within a whirlwind of flame. The familiar power in his movements was shining through when he skid to his knees and bent over backwards, throwing his head back to inhale every flame within his range.

The grin that crossed his face was absolutely shameless.

"Now he's got a fire in his belly," Lucy smirked to herself as unleashed his flames into the air- a dazzling and intense display that left the crowd in awe. It swirled and danced in the very wind itself, until Natsu released one last puff that created a dragon as the grand finale. All of the audience was left wondering just how he managed to pull off such an otherwise impossible feat; Lucy, on the other hand, knew better and shook her head knowingly at him.

Natsu just chomped the fire off the end of his baton and winked at her.

. . .

"Natsu! There you are…!"

Natsu's ears twitched when Lucy and Happy approached him a little later, and from under the palm tree he was lounging against –back in regular clothes- he waved at them with a sheepish grin. Regardless, Happy plowed straight into his arms and snuggled against him, while Lucy laughed and sat herself down next to him. Natsu found himself at a loss for words as neither Happy nor Lucy seemed upset, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything. Eventually it was Lucy who broke the silence, giving his shoulder a playful tap.

"So…fire dancing, huh?"

"Heh heh, yeah," Natsu coughed coyly, scratching the back of his neck. "I saw 'em practicing this morning and it looked like fun!"

"Only _you_ could think playing with fire is fun," Lucy snickered. Natsu smirked and nudged her back.

"Yeah, well, _you_ seemed pretty into it," he pointed out with a slick grin. "Couldn't keep your eyes off me, could ya?"

"Mm." Lucy rested her elbow on her knee and leaned her cheek into her palm. "Maybe that was because I hadn't seen you all day and that was the first eyeful I got."

Mph, so much for the light conversation.

"Yeah, about that…" Natsu sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to beat around the subject forever. He pulled Happy tighter into his grip as he hung his head. The sky was a navy canvas of stars yet his gaze was locked on the bland sand and sea below. "…I didn't mean to make you worry. I know I promised to always be here this week, but after last night I…had a lot of things going through my head. And I didn't wanna yell at you or hurt you on accident if you prodded too much, because it's definitely not your fault."

Lucy blinked and fully faced Natsu; he'd receded into his scarf and kept staring forward. He was clutching his arms unusually tight, and Lucy scooted closer to him to hopefully reassure him and ease up his discomfort.

"What…? But you'd never hurt me! And what you did back at the restaurant-"

"Was out of control and dangerous and stupid and I should've had a better grip on myself," Natsu mumbled. "I just saw you so distressed and…I kinda shut down. I was horrified and scared and I had to make it stop-!"

He gritted his teeth- Lucy was right, turning into a dragon like that, whether of his conscious will or not, was so not the right way to handle the problem, and if turning into a brutal beast in front of the person he cared about most wasn't bad enough, she was probably freaked out at the fact he could even do that! Hell, he hadn't even known his Dragon Force could go that far! He already lacked many important boyfriend qualities, why not add "random horrific transformations" to that list! Girls _love_ that!

…even if he wasn't dealing with his weird hormonal feelings, the whole situation was just not a good one, and while he'd gotten Lucy away from that asshole, he still felt like he messed up big time.

"I should've been there sooner, and I should've handled it more maturely…but I hated seeing you like that. I've _never_ been scared like that…but tch, _listen_ to me!" He abruptly turned to fully face her, mortified eyes shimmering with shame. " _You're_ the one that was under attack, and I'm making it all about me…my god, you were pinned against your will while he had his way with you and we're focusing on me! Damn, Lucy, are YOU okay?!"

"I'm perfectly fine thanks to you," Lucy smiled honestly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That creep had the nerve to follow us, and he caught me as I was coming out of the bathroom…he kept insisting that he could show me a 'better time' and just wouldn't leave me alone…"

Lucy's face became troubled; Natsu's only darkened.

"I was about to pull my whip or my keys on him, but the second he saw my hand move he pinned them both above me and…and…you know. You arrived almost immediately after that, but it still felt like an eternity and it was _horrible_ …being forced to endure that and there being nothing I could do about it…"

Natsu felt impossibly sick as Happy stood in his lap, raising a defiant paw to the sky.

"I shoulda been there, I woulda tossed the guy out the window!" He bared his fangs and turned to Lucy. "That guy sounds like a total scumbag!"

"Well, he won't be bothering me anymore, especially not after receiving a broken nose and a stare down from a dragon," Lucy whispered to Happy quietly, trying to keep it from Natsu but knowing that was impossible. His bangs drifted into his face as his hand clenched. "Natsu…"

"…god, I'm sorry Lucy! I should've taken care of those bastards sooner; I should've never even brought you here…!" he exclaimed, dipping slightly into theatrics.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic- stop apologizing!" Lucy insisted, Natsu blinking in surprise. "Natsu, this whole trip is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me! You made me appreciate my birthday again, you got me away from all that crazy stress, you got me out of that bad situation one way or another, and there was no way you could've known a creep like that was lurking around here. It was unfortunate, yeah, but it in no way has ruined the experience for me…"

Her arms were suddenly around his neck and he was so not prepared for this, slightly freezing up in shock. She usually only hugged him from behind…this was new.

"And how could you even possibly believe I'd be embarrassed or ashamed of my hero?" She nestled her head into the crook of his neck. "I'm just glad I have a friend who's always looking out for me, whether or not he's a dorky pink-haired fool or a rampaging dragon. Someone who cares about me is all I could have ever asked for…"

He felt like he was about to decompose with relief - she didn't think any less of him! Natsu quickly pulled her tighter into the hug, taking this moment while he had it. She felt really soft in his arms, he mentally noted, but nothing was quite as nice as her not being disappointed with him.

"…thanks Lucy," he finally said after indulging in the comforting embrace, a smile pulling at the ends of his lips. "I promise the rest of the trip won't be so bad."

"Hey," she grinned as she pulled away, flashing her guild mark and sticking her thumb sideways. "As long as I'm with you, it's always fun!"

He beamed to himself as she laughed lightly, with Happy making a smug remark afterward. Right before Lucy launched into her "stupid cat" routine, the conversation was interrupted by a loud explosion that caught Lucy off guard, unceremoniously causing her to yelp and flinch into Natsu's lap. She clutched his shirt like a scared cat –"I feel offended," Happy interjected- while Natsu chuckled and placed her back at his side.

"Relax, it's just a firework!" he said cheekily, with Lucy blinking at him. "I didn't think you would want to see me…but I remembered you liked fireworks, and they were setting them off tonight, and I thought if you did come by that it would be a good way to cheer you up-"

"…you're always thinking of me, huh?"

"Not unless there's food, fire, or fighting anywhere nearby- otherwise, yes," remarked Happy before Natsu could coolly respond, earning the cat an impromptu chastising from the dragon slayer. Another firework whistled in the wind and burst in the sky, painting the navy canvas with its neon green and blue explosion. The awe-inspiring sight was enough to calm everyone down, and eventually Lucy relaxed, melting into Natsu's side.

"…you know, it's been a long day," she began, discreetly leaning her head onto Natsu's shoulder. She appeared a little tired, but still fully alert. "How about we just calmly enjoy the show? One good display deserves another…"

Natsu quirked an eyebrow as he looped his arm around her, using it to comfortably pull her closer. "Are you referring to my fire dancing earlier as a 'good display'…?"

"Maybe."

"Ooh, she's way smoother than you Natsu-" Happy started to chirp, but after receiving a definitive glare from the pinkette he just snickered and let them have their moment.

The fireworks were fueled by all sorts of different magic- some were blue and watery, some were green and leafy, and others illuminated up the night in an electric display. The important thing was, each one was unique, and each one enraptured Lucy's attention. There was nothing quite like the way her whole face would light up when a new one graced the sky in a technicolor display. Natsu was almost busier watching Lucy than the fireworks, so when he felt her hand glide into his, he immediately noticed it.

"My hand's cold," she murmured softly, not taking her eyes off the spectacle before her. "And you're like my own personal heater."

"Really? I don't remember signing up for a job as a fireplace," he smirked, totally trying to play off the fact his heart was now racing. Her hand in his, the scent of her hair far too close to his face, her whole body saddled snuggly and perfectly against him…this was too much.

Sure, they'd been in, _ahem_ , close contact before, but this…was just so much more intimate! A foe hadn't accidentally flung Lucy at him in some undesirable positon, he hadn't burst in on her and caused a one-sided awkward situation, nor was this like him crawling into her bed unexpectedly only because it was so much nicer than his simple hammock…

They were just hanging out. And, Natsu supposed, this was what close friends sometimes did when there weren't monsters to battle, adventures to have, or a world to save. This could be seen as normal, and he really wished there were more opportunities to have something like this. It was something he wasn't used to, but after a first little taste, he liked it, and he wanted so much more.

…but then he remembered the kiss of gratitude she gave to him the night before.

The faint brush of her gentle lips against his rough cheek was imprinted in his head, and what he wouldn't give for that sweet sensation again, if not amplified. It had taken every single drop of strength in his body to not react when it happened last time, yet still he remembered the sudden rush to his face and the rise of his body temperature- there was no way Lucy had missed that…

It was just a gratitude kiss though. Spur of the moment. It only symbolized a thank you for being saved from an undesirable situation. There…was nothing else motivating it…right?

"…"

And as the sky above them exploded with a million different colors and shapes that enveloped the stars above, there was nothing more that Natsu wanted to do but grab Lucy right there and then and push his lips against hers, creating their own smoking fireworks between them that would ring in their ears and leave them in twice the awe. They could craft their own breathtaking display, make colors burst into a thousand sparking particles, create a memory that would leave a lasting impression for years to come through just a single instantaneous moment alone…

But instead he remained leaned against the tree, hoping the dark of the night would be enough to hide the fact that his face was burning red hot.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked quietly, and his heart skipped a beat- did she somehow read his thoughts?!

Panicpanicpanic-

"Yeah, Luce?" His voice came out a little hoarser than he would have liked, but she didn't seem to notice. Her smile was briefly illuminated by another bursting of a firework, her eyes gaining an extra glow as she glanced at him.

"…try not to leave me again for the rest of the week, okay?"

Natsu gave a firm nod, tightening his grip in hers. Their hands fit together so well…

"I promise I won't."

Satisfied, Lucy fully latched onto Natsu's arm and pulled herself closer, resting her head on his shoulder again when he didn't show any signs of objection. He could smell her strawberry vanilla scent rolling off her in waves, and once again he found himself swallowing a lump in his throat.

He was Natsu, Son of Igneel, Great Salamander of Fairy Tail, and savior of the Kingdom of Fiore if not the world many times over…

Despite that, he couldn't find the inner strength to pull himself together and confess his love to a girl. And his chances to do so were quickly going up in smoke.


	6. Day 5: Need

**...yeah, the next chapter's probably going to take a little longer too, so I hope this lengthier chapter helps make up for it!**

 **(I suppose this is also a good time to mention that this story takes place in some happy-go-lucky AU where Tartarus doesn't happen, but that goes without saying these days xD)**

* * *

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 5: Need_

 _ **July 5th-**_

Natsu always saw himself as a guy who had everything he needed. Sure, there were a few things he would have liked to have –finding Igneel, becoming an S-Class Mage, Lucy to love him back- but he never really felt like he was deprived of anything necessary. He had an amazing family, fantastic friends, a roof over his head –even if it wasn't _his_ roof- and he did not _need_ Lucy at his side…because she already was.

She was already such a constant in his life, and how could he possibly be greedy and ask for anything more?

"Do I risk our friendship and increase what we have twofold, or can I deal with ending up with less than I started with?" he murmured quietly to himself, sitting with his back against head of the bed while Lucy continued to slumber peacefully next to him. "…can I really make a gamble of happiness like that?"

Again he found his gaze rolling over to the girl beside him; she looked _so_ much better than she did a month ago. Her cheeks were delicately rosy and the dark circles that once encased her eyes had all but vanished, letting through the natural glow of her face – not that her looks had ever swayed his opinion of her. He'd seen her in all sorts of different scenarios: her body all bundled up, her clothes in tatters, her hair a mess, her hair pinned like princess, in revealing clothes, in dramatic ball gowns, in nothing but a towel, in comfortable yet not eye-catching pajamas, with her glowing like the stars she loved, and when her skin was scarred and bruised with her spirit nearly crushed…

None of it would ever matter – she was still his Lucy.

"I dunno, Natsu," Happy chimed up after a while, answering Natsu's earlier question. The dragon slayer's stare ripped from Lucy and redirected it glumly at the cat. "But I know you will feel a lot better once you get all of this off your chest, and plus when we go home, you won't be punished!"

"I could care less about the punishment," Natsu grumbled. "It's Lucy's reaction that I care about…"

"Why?" Happy asked obstinately. "How could she even say no? You're a dragon slayer, you always prevent her from getting hurt on missions, and S-Class or not, you ARE one of the strongest wizards in Fairy Tail-"

"But all that stuff is, like, work related…" Natsu scratched the back of his head. "Outside of the guild, fighting, and missions…it's not like I've got much going for me."

"Psh, where's your usual confidence?"

"Oi, please! I'm awesome!" Natsu flashed a grin, but it vanished quickly and he fumbled with his scarf. "…but it's not all about me, you know. If I confess-"

"When you confess," Happy insisted. Natsu made a face.

"Whatever! _If_ I go through with it, it's going to affect Lucy too. Even if she miraculously sees some worth in me other than some strong daredevil fighter, where do we go from there?" His bangs fell in his eyes. "…what if Lucy doesn't like who I am outside of the guild?"

"Well, she seems to so far," Happy stated pointedly, shrugging obviously as Natsu gave him a bewildered look. Yet when Natsu didn't immediately respond, Happy exasperatedly folded his paws. "…hey, I don't want to force you to admit your feelings before you're ready, and I'm sure the rest of Fairy Tail feels the same way, punishment or not."

Happy quirked an eyebrow; Natsu did his best to avoid the stare.

"…but if you don't do it _eventually_ , you're gonna lose the chance."

. . .

"Aaaaaaah, I don't even know why, but I'm so excited!"

Lucy was currently in the process of glomping Natsu, practically strapped to him like a backpack; Natsu chuckled under his breath as he dragged the both of them through the entrance to the amusement park. Natsu promised Lucy he would take her there, and while there was no way he'd be going on any of the rides, just being there was worth it to see her ridiculously overjoyed. Lucy was like a kid again as she jumped off his back and flounced around, her little twin pigtails bouncing with every hop. Her chocolate eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the sights of all the neon lining the rides, the sounds of unfiltered fun all around her, the smell of food that couldn't possibly be healthy but tasted like it was crafted in heaven… she had only just arrived and Lucy was already bubbling with excitement.

But she was well aware of Natsu's motion sickness, and as much as she was dying to go on the rides –something she'd always wanted to do since she was a kid, but couldn't because heiresses _don't waste time mingling amongst the peasants_ _doing_ _pointless_ _things_ \- and instead suggested they play some of the carnival games. Natsu could detect the subtle disappointment in her voice even as he appreciated her concern for him.

"You _sure_ you wanna play the games?" Natsu asked, arms resting cockily behind his head as they made their way to the first attraction. "Cuz I'm all fired up to beat ya!"

"Please, you're not good at everything, Natsu," Lucy smirked as she limbered herself up. "I'm certain I can one-up you at something or other."

"Miss Heartfilia, is that a _challenge_?"

Lucy's hands slipped into the pockets of her shorts as she tilted her head smugly. "Only if you want to make it so, Dragneel."

And she bolted without any warning, shouting something about winning more prizes than Natsu.

"Hot damn," Natsu whistled, watching Lucy doing her best to get a head start. He only laughed at her effort, sticking his fists out behind him and using his flames to earn himself a speed boost. He stuck his tongue out as he completely jetted past her, uncontrollably snickering as she shook her fist.

"Oi, you _idiot_ …!"

"Ka ha ha~! Try and catch me, Weirdo~!"

The second they approached the first booth, all thoughts of romance disappeared and Natsu's competitive side awoke, along with Lucy's. All too soon they were racing from one game to the next, eager to outdo each other and come out with a bigger armful of prizes than the other. Lucy's calculating and less hasty nature led her to victory in ring toss, bottle balancing, and other things that required patience, while Natsu naturally excelled at shooting targets, anything that involved throwing, and not to mention nearly breaking the bell during a test of strength… Surprisingly enough they were actually pretty neck and neck, with only helped keep the friendly spirit of competition between them burning on.

"Ah, look, another prize for me~!" sang Lucy, dancing around with a small stuffed panda as Natsu sat on the ground with his legs crossed, arms folded and pouting.

"I woulda won if he'd let me use fire," Natsu complained, slightly bemused as Lucy continued to dance her heart out in the middle of the area. She then called for Happy to come hold her latest winnings.

"I'm not your pack mule, you know…!" wailed Happy on cue somewhere behind them, hardly able to stay afloat in the air with the way Natsu and Lucy kept shoving toys and needless junk into his possession. He was basically a hovering mountain of miscellaneous prizes with a blue tail and wings. "C'mon, this pile is almost heavier than Lucy…!"

"Shut up," Lucy huffed, taking the pile and shoveling some of it into her bag. She then tossed a smug look at Natsu. "…besides, it's mostly _my_ prizes that are weighing you down."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Tch, you get ahead one time and suddenly you're arrogant."

"Please, you're arrogant all the time! 'Look at me, the Great Salamander of Fairy Tail! I burn everything in my path!' And then there's usually a roar after that-"

"Oi, _okay_ ," Natsu mumbled, quickly scanning around for their next game. However, while he did indeed find one they hadn't been to yet, his attention was enraptured by something far more fascinating. In the time it took Lucy to blink Natsu had darted over to the booth in question, ogling what looked like a very sizeable stuffed dragon with little wings and red scales.

"It looks like Igneel!" Natsu exclaimed, bouncing excitedly on his heels. "…I need it."

Lucy assumed their competition was over for the moment after seeing the sheer want on Natsu's face, walking over to figure out what one had to do to win. After seeing a few cards sprawled out on the counter, Lucy decided that it was some of memory matching game. Apparently her hunch was correct, because right as Natsu sat down the man running the game used some Card Magic to bring all the cards into his hand.

"If you want that dragon, you're going to have to beat this game at the highest level," he explained, looking subtly coy as he shuffled and tossed around the cards. "That's thirty cards to memorize, and fifteen matches to get."

Lucy was about to advise Natsu against this but he merely punched a fist into his palm and smirked.

"Heh, bring it on! I'm all fired up!"

A hand fell onto Lucy's forehead as Happy secretly placed the rest of the prizes into her bag one by one without her noticing. She was far more distracted by memorizing the cards over Natsu's shoulder- there was something about that man she didn't particularly like, but she kept her suspicions to herself just in case.

The man used his magic to spread out the cards face up, each of them having a picture that matched another card. Natsu poured every ounce of concentration he had into memorizing everything, even sticking his tongue out. Then, once the allotted time passed, the man cast his hands over the cards and flipped them all over. Natsu immediately got three matches right, as he'd been paying special attention to the matches of the corners (as did Lucy). However, when Natsu flipped the fourth corner with confidence and the card that they were both certain matched it, it ended up being wrong.

"Aw, too bad you lost…" trailed the man, nonchalantly holding his hand out. "Pay up to play again?"

Naturally Natsu's stubbornness refused to let him give up here, so he slapped another handful of jewel into the man's hand and steeled himself to go again.

"I'll get it this time," Natsu said determinedly, although his lips were pulled into a slight frown. "I swear that was the right card though…"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at his words. She was certain of the same thing too…

After five rounds of attempting and failing to beat the game, each loss chipped at Natsu's confidence. His head now hung dejectedly as the man in the booth casually started counting up the pile of jewel he'd earned off Natsu alone. After seeing all that wasted money, Natsu groaned and thunked his head against the table.

"Aw, losing sucks…guess I'm no good at this-"

"I'll go," Lucy suddenly spoke up, her fists hanging at her sides as she stepped next to Natsu's seat. She took out a bit of her own jewel and placed it on the counter. As the man hastily swiped it into his possession, Natsu blinked in astonishment and silently let Lucy take his place. She sat poised with unblinking eyes, not taking her gaze off the man. He hit her with a strange look before splaying out the cards with his magic just as he did before, and once her allotted time was up –she hardly looked at the cards- he swiped his hand back over them…and Lucy grinned.

"How devious…" Natsu heard her whisper near inaudibly under her breath. Lucy then proceeded to play the game as normal to confirm her suspicions. She managed to get a few more matches than Natsu, but when she inevitably lost, she realized that she had been correct. Just as Natsu suggested that maybe they should take a break from it, Lucy rose from her seat and pulled out one of her keys, holding it to her side.

"All right. I'll be paying for a friend now, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," the man replied quite pleasantly, starting to slide the next horde of jewel into his pockets. "You can pay for all your friends!"

Her face soured for a brief moment before recasting her summoning stance, a Magic Circle erupting beneath her feet.

"Open, Gate of the Sea Goat: Capricorn!"

"All right, Goat Man!" cheered Natsu, just as the spirit in question passed through his gate. All too immediately he placed a hand to his chest and bowed politely at Lucy.

"G'day, Lady Lucy. How may I be of service?'

Natsu watched as Lucy pulled herself as close as she could to Capricorn's ear, whispering something furiously to him. After a small eternity of waiting, he nodded and proceeded to take up the seat. Lucy stepped back and folded her arms with a little flair as the man suddenly started to sweat, using his magic to dole out the cards one more time. It was impossible to see where Capricorn's eyes were behind his dark shades, but once the time passed, the man flipped the cards over and let the goat have a go at it.

Natsu gaped as Capricorn's gloved fingers glided over the cards like he was playing piano, expertly picking out the matches one by one without the slightest bit of hesitance in any of his moves. Eventually he whittled the cards down to just one pair, and the man in the booth looked strangely pleased, as if Capricorn could still possibly fail at this point. However, it sailed right over Natsu's head.

"Yosh! You totally-"

Lucy held out an arm to put his celebration on pause, a slight twinkle in her eye and she glanced knowingly at him. Natsu was a little confused as Capricorn turned over one of the cards, but then held off on flipping the next. The man at the booth was begging with his eyes for Capricorn to just reveal the final card already…!

Instead, Capricorn grabbed his wrist.

"Lady Lucy doesn't appreciate a cheater, my good sir. Now, if you'll kindly-"

Capricorn's fingers slipped into the man's sleeves, pulling out the card that matched the one had flipped.

"-hand over that dragon…and we'll be taking our money back also as compensation for your deceitful deeds."

The man shook where he stood, but he refused to move. Calmly enraged, Capricorn merely rose out of the seat and towered over the man, leaning down to lower his shades- and whatever look he gave scared the man right out of his wits.

"And unless you're prepared to fight me sir, I highly recommend you cease your underhanded scams."

The man managed to give a nod, hastily returning every bit of money by tossing it on the counter, then removing the dragon from the shelf and placing it into Capricorn's care. Capricorn bowed in gratitude…which then made the man faint from fear. As Natsu took back his jewel and Lucy gathered up hers, Capricorn turned to his master and held out the dragon.

"There you are, my lady. As always, your intuition is commendable."

"Thanks Capricorn; I appreciate it!" Lucy beamed, twirling her key in her free hand to open his gate again. He bowed once more before making his exit, Lucy giggling and turning back to Natsu.

He was just standing there with his jaw hanging open before pumping his fists and laughing happily.

"That was awesome, Lucy! I didn't even realize he was duping us…"

"Don't feel bad; I was only onto him because I've seen a lot of scammers like him try to get at my dad's money way back when. They've all got the same look in their eye," Lucy explained as she coddled the stuffed dragon. "Still…I believe I've just won this for you."

She grew a little bashful as she held it out to him; his face lit up like it was Christmas.

"I-I can really have it?!" he gaped, gently taking it from her like it was made of glass. Lucy gave him a shrug.

"Well, what am _I_ going to do with a toy dragon? At least you seem to-"

"Thanks a million, Lucy!" he suddenly burst out in excitement, jumping next to her and placing the softest kiss ever onto her cheek before twirling around with his new prize. She turned a deep pink as she brushed her fingers against where his lips made contact, but Natsu didn't notice as he was consumed with joy and busy making his dragon roar.

"I'mma call him Igneel!"

And as she smiled lightly and only shook her head at him, she found that he was far too happy to even realize what he had done.

…or maybe he did, and he just had a _really_ good way to play it off.

. . .

Sometime later, after hitting just about every booth twice for "rematches", Lucy and Natsu exhaustedly plunked themselves down onto a table with an umbrella for a break. Natsu immediately bought food- he had a feast of nachos, grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, pastries, things that were deep fried beyond recognition, and he was currently slurping up four different colors of cotton candy…while Lucy sipped lemonade and nibbled a pretzel.

"Fo, wud duh yoo wunna do nuxt?" Natsu asked after seeing Lucy finishing up, his mouth stuffed and face a strange shade of purple from the dye of the cotton candy (and a snow cone which he heavily regretted eating in one sitting). Lucy was staring longingly in the distance, eventually giving Natsu a shrug.

"I dunno…but whatever happened to Happy?"

Natsu gulped and patted his ballooning stomach afterward. "He got tired of playing pack mule so I let him go and try to win a fish. He won't be coming back until he wins, so yeah."

His stuffed dragon was currently taking up the seat next to Natsu, and Natsu entertained himself by igniting his finger and pretending like it was breathing fire. Lucy smiled, but then started drumming her fingers against the table and heaving a light sigh.

"…eh, maybe it's time to go. We've done all we can after all…"

Natsu blinked as he gnawed on what seemed to be a deep fried pickle. "What're you talking about? You haven't even gone on any rides yet!"

Lucy glanced at him deliberately. "Yeah, but it's not fun by myself…who wants to be that one loner at the back of the rollercoaster?"

"I would!" Natsu exclaimed, receiving a bewildered look. "…if I didn't have, well, you know…"

"Which is precisely why I'm not going either."

Natsu felt his stomach sink, and it wasn't from watching the rides zoom around in the distance.

"…aw, Luce, don't let me hold you back. I can tell you really want to go on them…" His face was blank as he went into deep thought, then started to stand up. "You know, maybe I can-"

"No!" Lucy insisted, more out of concern than any anger. "I don't want you getting sick-!"

"I'll aim away from you!"

"That's…really nice, but not the point I was going for!" Lucy folded her arms and cringed when Natsu started giving her puppy eyes, even holding up "Igneel" for added effect. "…and THAT'S not going to work on me. Even if you do look kinda cute."

"Cute?! Please, I'm dragon fierce," Natsu retorted with a scoff and pose, but got serious again. "C'mon, I'll get sick if it means you'll have fun."

"I'll be glum if it means I don't put your stomach in turmoil."

"Luuuuuucy," Natsu sighed, sliding down in his chair and groaning. The two of them proceeded to sit locked in a stalemate, eyeing each other until one of them decided to relent. Natsu's impatience lost.

"…all right, tell me Luce. The only reason you're not going on the rides is because you don't wanna be alone, right?"

Lucy jumped at his sudden tone change, but nodded. "Yeah, and you don't do well on rides…that's the dilemma here."

She watched as Natsu's eyebrows knitted together as he visibly rolled around an idea in his mind, but he glanced away like he was hesitant to say anything. She eyed him curiously as she sipped loudly on her lemonade, but then she saw his eyes fall shut before murmuring something really low under his breath.

"What was that? I don't have super-dragon hearing, you know."

Natsu actually slightly glared at her, like it was her fault he had to repeat, but he tried again.

"Isrudtuklukwidya…"

"…what?!"

"I said you could go with Loke!" he finally spat out, looking physically pained afterwards. Natsu slammed his hand over his mouth as Lucy's eyes sparkled.

"Oh, that's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that sooner?! I'll call him right now!"

"Well jeez, you could've shot down the idea or had a little more hesitance there, _but okay_ -"

"Open, Gate of the Lion: Leo!" Lucy exclaimed with unbridled excitement, holding out Loke's key in a dramatic pose. Natsu made a face at the ostentatiously bright flash of light Loke arrived in, the Celestial Spirit decked out in his usual suit as he adjusted his red tie. He noted Natsu's less than pleased scowl, but redirected all his attention unto Lucy, dropping to a knee and perching her hand in his like it was fragile. Lucy rolled her eyes at the routine; Natsu crushed the sandwich in his hand.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of my future wife calling on me?" Loke purred in a suave tone, eyeing Lucy with a much too suggestive wink. Lucy simply removed her hand from his and picked him up from the ground.

" _I'm not your future wife_ , and I actually just wanted to know if you'd be interested in going on a few of these amusement park rides with me."

Loke's glasses nearly slid off his face out of shock. "Y-You're asking me on a date?!"

" _That's not what she said!"_ Natsu wailed, hurling a nacho at Loke's oh so luscious mane. Instead, the chip merely glanced off his shoulder, with Loke brushing off the crumbs as a minor inconvenience. "She just wants someone to go on the rides with her, that's all…so, like, babysit her."

"Natsu-!"

"Haha, is that so? No need to tell me twice," Loke chuckled, immediately swapping his suit out for black cargo shorts and a skin-tight t-shirt. Loke barely had the time to blink before Natsu was suddenly all over him, pulling him into an intense stare off.

"Don't you dare put any moves on her," Natsu warned in a low tone, and Loke tilted his head.

"Why? Did you two _finally_ get together?"

Natsu wasn't prepared for that response and stuttered. "N-No, not yet-"

"Sounds like she's still on the market to me~"

"I mean it." Natsu frowned as his face darkened. '"You really don't wanna see what I did to the last guy that tried, but I like you and Lucy likes you, so I'd prefer to keep your face intact."

Loke put his hands up and immediately backed off. " _Yeesh_ , you've got it _bad_ , don't you? I can't believe Lucy hasn't caught on yet-"

Natsu flashed his fangs.

"Okay, fine, I'll lay off, but she's still my master. If she gives me a command I'll have no choice but to obey, hm hm~" Natsu went from borderline feral to gaping like a fish as Loke defiantly twirled away, flicking the corner of his glasses while he smirked towards where Lucy was waiting. "So back to business- where would you like to go first, beautiful?"

Lucy had started to open her mouth, but stopped to look back at Natsu, who was now wearing a bit of a pout as he dragged himself back to his chair. "…Natsu, are you sure you-?"

"Eh, I'll be fine- someone's gotta wait for Happy anyway." Natsu waved them off with one hand while patting his dragon with the other. "Besides, I've got this guy to keep me company. Rawr."

"All right then; I'll try not to make you wait too long- I know how impatient you are," Lucy assured before shyly turning to Loke. "If we're going to do this, then let's go! The Demon Dragon's Drop is calling my name!"

"Oi, way to rub it in, Lucy!" Natsu chided from the table. Loke just chuckled under his breath and hooked his arm in Lucy's.

"Ooh, a bold first choice. I like that in a woman," Loke purred, but Lucy shook her head.

"You are here as my friend, Loke. Keep that in mind."

"YEAH LOKE, A FRIEND!" Natsu shouted back. Lucy smacked her forehead as Natsu's fists lit on fire. "If you know what's good for ya you'll keep your paws off of Lucy!"

Other than Loke giving Natsu a brief salute of acknowledgement, Natsu was pretty much ignored as they melded into the fast moving line for the ride. Once he couldn't see them anymore, his face collapsed into a scowl while the urge to destroy something welled up within him, but Lucy wouldn't appreciate more mindless violence…so instead he picked up his stuffed dragon and promptly screamed as loud as he could into its stomach. People walking by thought he was crazy, but he couldn't say he didn't feel better afterward.

"Thanks, Igneel. Always letting me vent."

"Aye Natsu, you look awful!"

Natsu's moment of respite was shattered when Happy happened upon the scene, holding two bags of fish in each paw as he gently alighted on the table and stared at Natsu curiously. However, Natsu beat him to starting the conversation.

"What are those, Happy?"

"Tomorrow's breakfast," Happy deadpanned, already knowing that Natsu was trying to avoid a subject. "Where's Lushi?"

"Ah-!" Natsu lifted a finger and opened his mouth to answer, but quickly realized he didn't want to. Happy was not amused.

"…Natsu did you lose her?!"

"If I _lost_ her, do you really think I would just be sitting here with nothing but a stuffed animal?!"

Happy narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Natsu carefully. "…don't tell me you mucked something up."

Natsu glanced to his right and found that Fun House waaaay over there suddenly very interesting.

"Oh my Mavis, you totally _did_ -!"

"I did nothing wrong!" Natsu insisted, hastily waving his hands in the air. "Lucy really, _really_ wanted to go on the rides but obviously I couldn't go with her and she refused to go by herself and so I told her she could always take Loke-"

"WHAT?!" Happy screeched, actually getting Natsu to flinch at the sound. "Ooh, if my paws weren't full of fish I'd be slapping you senseless! Oh, nevermind, you already are…!"

"Okay, _ouch_ first of all –there's no need for emotional hostility. I'm already a lovesick mess as it is," Natsu stated seriously. "Second, what's the problem? Lucy gets to go on the rides that she's always wanted to without the threat of me barfing all over her."

"But _Loke_ was your Plan B?! Talk about a really dumb move- you've let another man step in and sashay away with your woman!"

"She's not my-"

"Natsu! Loke is a womanizer! There used to be a time when you couldn't find the guy when he _wasn't_ swimming in a pack of ladies! And even a few men!" bemoaned Happy. "He has no problem telling someone what he thinks about them! People love that straight forward confidence-"

"I'm confident!" Natsu declared with a voice crack.

-and then she'll get dumped back onto you and you'll look lame and insufficient in comparison."

"…that's definitely a bad thing, right?"

"AYE."

Natsu sank dejectedly like a kicked puppy. "But she really wanted to go on the rides and she wouldn't let me go with her…"

Happy had set his fish down at this point to drop his forehead into his paws; Natsu became alarmed as he fisted his pink locks, frantically looking around as if that would give him an idea. When he found nothing and realized Happy was giving him a miserable look, he pounded his fists on the table with resolve.

"I'll fix it, all right?"

"O- _kay_ …"

"I'll FIX it!"

. . .

Lucy couldn't lie; those rides showed her a new brand of fun she hadn't been aware existed. There was something inexplicably exhilarating about the anticipation of a rising rollercoaster before it whipped into a dozen twists and drops. There was something that got her adrenaline pumping as the world below her grew smaller as she rose, then to have her drop toward it in an abrupt rush of speed. There was a thrill in how she was scared senseless in a way that never had her feeling more alive. She loved the bright blur of colors that the world turned into while she was on the teacups, and she loved the rhythmic sway of every other ride that let her throw her hands in the air and gave her the illusion that she could fly, even if just for a moment.

It was epic. It got her blood rushing through her veins. It was something she'd been deprived of as a child, and it was only now that she was coming to terms with how much she needed something like this.

Lucy was glad that Loke was at her side, as out of all her spirits, he was easily among the most loyal and devoted, even if you looked past his flirtatious tendencies. It was good to see that he was getting in on the relaxation, as he was pretty preoccupied even when he wasn't on call- the perks of being the leader of the Zodiac, Lucy supposed. Once he quit trying to put the moves on her, he showed his daredevil side- the both of them targeting the fastest, scariest, and most stomach-churning rides the park had to offer. Lucy got to release her wild side with Loke, and it was awesome.

…she still sort of wished he was Natsu though.

These thoughts plagued her as they ascended up the Ferris Wheel, sitting on her hands and staring at the ground while Loke sat in the seat across from her, admiring the view from outside their cabin. She knew Natsu would probably be blowing chunks right about then, but she knew he would have also loved the view. Lucy gently put her hand up against the window- naturally it wasn't hard to see the whole park from their height, but as night was starting to fall, the neon was starting to come to life, and it was like a whole new world was born.

Yeah, he would have been fascinated by that.

"So Natsu went the extra mile and took you on vacation, huh?" Loke began, looking to start some conversation now that they weren't breaking their necks on high speed attractions. It had been a while since he'd just sat and conversed with Lucy anyway, and he looked rather conformable as he simpered deviously. "If I had known that's all it took to win your heart, I would have just taken you and me to Akane Resort."

"But you were still recovering from just returning to the Celestial Spirit World," Lucy pointed out, yet Loke merely shrugged.

"Yeah, we'll I'm a lot stronger now that I've got my full power back, and I could handle a week with you no problem."

"I adore you, but I think I could only handle spending a weekend straight with you," Lucy hummed, while Loke muttered something about how he could 'easily change that'. "…still, once this vacation is over, everything will just go back to the way it was…"

Lucy sulked a bit as Loke raised an eyebrow in her direction, becoming a little disturbed. "Do you not like how things are…?"

"Well, I mean, of course I do. It's just that things get so overwhelming too often lately, but I'm really lucky I have Natsu. He always keeps me from losing a grip on myself…"

"Hmm. If it's things going back to the way they were that you're worried about, then what would you have be different?"

"I-" Lucy paused as soon as she started, having not really thought about that. But once she gave it a little consideratio, she pulled her feet onto her seat and brought her knees to her chest, conflicted on how to go on. Loke could read her anxiousness like a book, yet he sat with remarkable patience and gave her all the time she needed. Eventually, she rolled her head up to face him, watching him through lidded eyes.

"Loke, I can tell you anything, right?"

"I should hope," Loke retorted with an amused chuckle. "I am your favorite spirit, after all."

"You're my favorite _lion_ spirit," Lucy shot back, although she quickly held her arms and avoided his gaze right afterward. "…anyway, it's the fact that this trip has made me realize something…it's really stupid if I think about it though…"

"Aw, nothing's stupid if it's coming from you, darling. Just say what you need to say and let it out."

"Okay…" Lucy took a deep breath to calm herself. "It's just that I…think I want…more time with Natsu."

Loke gave a single nod. "Okay. And how is that supposedly stupid?"

"B-Because I already spend _so much_ time with him! He's always at my house, he's always insisting that we do jobs by ourselves without the rest of the team, he's my partner and you don't get much closer than that…I'm already with him nearly all day every day…so why do I feel so lost when he's not around? And why…do I feel like I still need more of him?"

You'd think a person could only handle so much Natsu, and yet there she was, pining for more of his time when he was already just about glued to her side.

The glare on Loke's glasses hid his eyes from Lucy's view as he leaned forward, folding his hands, and rested his chin on them while looking deep in thought. Lucy was quaking from the awkwardness her little confession had brought on, and now she wished she hadn't said anything at all. It was all just so…so…stupid!

"…Lucy, are you certain that's it's your 'need of more Natsu' that's the problem here?" he inquired quietly, and Lucy nearly jumped out of her seat, but quickly stopped herself when she remembered where she was.

"Yes, yes! That's the issue! I dunno what's going on! I don't understand…before everything was all right- Natsu just did his little things because he was…Natsu, you know? It was routine, it was part of how he was and how my days _just went_ , but being here has shown me that I need him around; I need more of him, and our time together…is just something I don't want to end."

"Lucy…I don't think the issue is that you want to be around Natsu more. I think this trip has made you realize just how embedded in your life he already is."

Lucy blinked in surprise at his rather quick reply, her head snapping up as Loke peered at her over his glasses. "H-Huh…?!"

"Heh, you've gotten so used to Natsu in your everyday life that seeing him outside of that normalcy has opened your eyes a little, hasn't it? This trip has shown you never cared for Natsu just as your partner or your friend from the guild…he means a little more to you than that, huh?"

Lucy went quiet for the longest time. She slowly lowered her gaze from Loke before she spoke up again.

"…do you think I…love him?"

"Obviously," Loke laughed lightheartedly. "However, I can't say if you're _in_ love with him. That's something only you're going to be able to figure out."

"B-But I've never felt like this before!" Lucy squeaked, grabbing at her head. "I-I mean, I hardly even had friends or family before Fairy Tail, let alone some love interest! I don't know what it's supposed to feel like; I don't know how I'm supposed to _know_ …"

"You'll just know when the right moment happens," Loke offered quietly. "Maybe it'll be during some grand event when the stars align and the light hits you both just right…or maybe it'll come serendipitously, finding the answer right when you least expect it."

Her head started spinning from all these new discoveries and information, and she couldn't tell if it was a bad sensation or a really, really good one. The Ferris Wheel chose this fabulous time to stop and…well, they weren't quite at the top. Maybe two or three spots away, but still high enough to get quite the eyeful. Lucy took in another deep breath, although this time it was more like she was coming up for air as if she'd been drowning for a long time. Loke asked if she was okay while she was in the middle of her epiphany, but eventually she nodded.

"…heh, in that case, I have the feeling my company won't be needed for much longer," Loke hummed, adjusting his glasses. Lucy appreciated his ability to always know how to lighten the mood and beamed at him gratefully.

"Thanks Loke…not just for hanging out with me, but for, um, you know-"

"Anytime, beautiful," Loke returned with a wink, feeling his time with her growing short. "However, when you find that you want to spend a lot more time with _me_ instead, call me right away-"

"Good night, Loke," Lucy laughed, taking out his key and holding it in front of her. Loke returned the chuckle as he parted with a salute, vanishing through his gate in the same radiant light as before.

. . .

Natsu was livid when Lucy finally got off the Ferris Wheel, Lucy going completely cross-eyed when he suddenly threw himself into her and tugged her into his arms.

"Aha! I knew your scent was lingering around here!" he barked, holding her to his chest as his head darted around on the hunt. "Where the heck did Loke go? Don't tell me he pulled something and then ran like a coward-!"

"Everything's fine, Natsu," Lucy assumed, taking great amusement in the fact that he currently had her bag draped over his shoulder, along with "Igneel" sitting snugly inside. Natsu finally removed her from his death grip and studied her far too attentively, as if trying to search her for Loke's fingerprints. "…but you know, I came here on this vacation with you, so maybe it's just you I should spend it with."

Her face was harmonic as she beamed at Natsu, who looked a bit aghast at her attitude but welcomed it just the same. As expected, his heavy muscular arm plunked down on her shoulders as he guided her towards their next destination.

"I'm so glad you said that, because there's a ride I want to go on with you."

Lucy's face instantly gained some worry. "Natsu-"

"…I won't get sick this time. I promise."

He sounded so dedicated and sincere…how could she say no, especially since he'd been waiting a while?

"…okay."

She honestly wondered what sort of ride would actually make Natsu eager- anything fast was out of the question, and especially anything that had its twists and turns. Just when she was about to open her mouth to ask, Lucy realized that they were making a beeline right for it, and as it was getting late into the night, there wasn't as long of a line.

The Merry-go-Round.

"Natsu, are you sure…? You'd think something that spins like that would really agitate you," Lucy murmured quietly.

"I thought you said you trusted me, Luce," he stated brightly, onyx eyes reflecting the neon lights around them. "I dunno what it is about this ride…but I feel like it won't bother me too much."

They were the next to board, so Natsu helped pull Lucy up onto the platform while she asked which animal he wanted to ride –"The dragon, duh!" "You're being a little too obsessed with them lately…"- and promptly clambered aboard. Natsu climbed in front of her, clutching the pole for dear life and trying to mentally calm himself.

"Lucy…" he trailed, already feeling weary even before they started moving. "I need you to hang onto me and not let go, okay?"

"That's what I was kinda planning to do, but-"

Natsu took Lucy's arms and wrapped them around himself, with her giving off an "Eep!" in the process. She was trying to tell herself that the worst case scenario was him regurgitating all over her arms, and while the thought _really_ made her want to let go, for whatever reason she held tighter.

And Natsu visibly relaxed.

He squeezed his eyes tight as the ride began very slowly, resting his head against the pole as he felt his stomach already bubbling in protest. Lucy could feel the heavy rise and fall of his breathing as he fought to keep the sickness at bay, and so far she had to say he was doing a good job- his face had yet to turn green or blue, so this was a good sign.

"This is as fast as it's going to go, and you're doing great," Lucy whispered up into his ear. "Anything I can do to-?"

"Rest your head on my back."

A little surprised at his directness, Lucy obliged, finding that leaning against him was actually quite comfortable. Natsu's whole body seemed to completely relax after that, and after going around three more times, he dared to crack an eye open. The world around him was a giant smear of neon colors, and he nearly hurled on the spot just from that. But out of everything that was whirling around him, the one thing that remained clear was Lucy…so he looked over his shoulder and focused solely on her.

All of his nausea dissipated away.

Lucy sensed she was being stared at and peeked up at a confused Natsu, immediately wondering what was wrong. He blinked away his stupor, glancing down to lock eyes with her.

"I'm okay…" he said slowly, a grin spreading across his face as he let out a chuckle. "Hey, I'm okay…!"

His happiness was contagious as his chuckles grew louder, and suddenly Lucy was giggling right along with him, getting into the spirit of the ride as it took them round and round again in a loop- one that they almost wouldn't have minded if it lasted forever.

"They don't just liiiiiike each other," Happy hummed contently on the bench where he was waiting with all their stuff, watching the two of them truly laughing together for the first time that day. "They _need_ each other."


	7. Day 6: Glory Days

**Pink Lemonade:** Thank you so much! Gosh, you're always such a huge sweetheart! ^^;

 **Nalu reader:** Thanks! That is what I try to aim for, so I'm glad you said so!

 **. . .**

 **This chapter's a _little_ different thanks to the prompt (apparently a lot of people had trouble with this one) but it's a good lead in for what comes next, hm hm hm. **

* * *

**~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 6: Glory Days_

 ** _July 6th-_**

Lucy really, honestly, and entirely had been looking forward to this movie night –and some epic spy adventure drama film was the only thing playing that wasn't scary or mushy- and she even went the extra mile to get all dolled up like it was a movie date…even though Natsu kept assuring her that she could wear a paper bag and she would still look fine, but that wasn't the point. She felt confident when she wore what she liked, and if that meant going out in her preferred short skirt, knee-length boots, and a blouse made from very thin fabric, then so be it!

Except this had to be the one day out of the whole week that had the crappiest weather.

"I told you to wear something warmer," Natsu murmured, his eyes locked on the lacrima screen but the rest of his senses attuned to the fact that Lucy was trying way too hard to snuggle into him, attempting to warm as many parts of her body with his as she could. It was less perverted than it appeared though.

"And I told _you_ that dark clouds and nippy winds weren't dominating the sky earlier!" she jeered back, refusing to let him know that she _may_ have been starting to regret her fashion choice to an outdoor movie lacrima theater. _Just a little_. She felt the glares of fellow movie-goers gouging into her for her lack of subtlety, but she was far too cold to give them a second thought. "B-Besides Natsu, you're not affected by temperature; why'd you wear a jacket?!"

He smirked and poked her nose; she puffed out her cheeks. "Maybe so I could better rub it in your face that you were wrong and should have listened to me."

"Whatever…stop getting on my case and watch the movie…"

"I'm _trying_ , but there happens to be a girl desperately tugging on me for warmth and her chatting teeth are drowning out the sound!"

"SSSHHHHH!" hissed nearly every person that was surrounding them, Lucy gulping and Natsu hastily hiding his face in his scarf. Happy was of no help whatsoever, giving them some space as he munched on fish-flavored popcorn from afar.

"They're like an old married couple," he snickered, far more entertained by the two of them than the movie he was supposed to be watching. "Aye, I always did prefer live action romantic comedies…!"

Lucy ignored the cat's less-than-needed tittering and continued adjusting next to Natsu. Eventually the dragon slayer had enough and rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh.

"Oh for the love…Lucy, c'mere."

The blond yelped when Natsu's arms were suddenly locked around her waist, dragging her into his lap. He placed his covered arms over her bare ones, pulled her into his torso, and rested his head on her shoulder.

"There, now you're warm and don't need to fidget next to me," he announced proudly, ignoring the blush invading Lucy's face. "Now stay quiet- they're about to blow up the building!"

"…fine," Lucy murmured, knowing that she couldn't have fought her way out of his grip even if she wanted to. She tried to ignore the fact that several of the couples scattered about the ground were sitting in similar positons, and Lucy sort of wondered if that was how Natsu got his idea.

It wouldn't be wise to ask him, though. Not with how intensely he was staring at the screen watching things ignite.

Still, once she got over her self-conscious tendencies, she was able to get back into the movie, using Natsu as her own personal chair –at _his_ insistence. The plot had really picked up ever since the explosion, and Lucy was even getting a little inspired for her novel. However, when the dust cleared and the scenes started to slow down a little, the lead girl was shown back in her apartment, despairing for the first time since the movie started. Lucy felt her heart clench with empathy as the girl explained that both her parents had died in that explosion; the crowd around Lucy appropriately gasped at the unexpected plot twist. She'd been orphaned.

Lucy's stomach was in knots as the girl went on to elaborate more of her life stories through a series of flashbacks, showing the many good times the girl had with her parents during her childhood…but then there had been a fight, and the girl ran away to become a spy…and now, she had no way to make amends with them. She had no way to say goodbye.

Lucy suddenly didn't feel so good.

Meanwhile, Natsu was shamefully starting to doze off now that the action parts had passed, thereby causing him to miss a big chunk of the more important scenes. He found a comfortable angle to rest on Lucy's shoulder, lulling himself to sleep with the aroma of her sweet scent…until he started to smell salt instead. He was groggy when he brought his head up to locate the source, but instantly became alarmed when he caught Lucy's eyes watering.

"H-Hey Luce, what's wrong?" he asked softly and as calmly as possible, nudging her worriedly. That only made her curl her lip and quiver even more. He blanched. "Ack! I'm sorry! Please don't cry, but did I-?"

"It's not you, Natsu," Lucy assured, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her blouse. "But, um, I don't think I want to watch the rest of the movie anymore…"

"Okay Lucy," Natsu said straightaway, already sensing that the movie wasn't really the problem here, but he didn't question it as he untangled himself from her and helped her on her feet. "Whatever you like…"

"I-I'm sorry…" Lucy sniffed, embarrassedly hanging her head as Natsu gathered their stuff. "I'm making a scene and I-"

"Don't apologize; it happens to the best of us," Natsu told her as she moved to hide her face in her hands. Happy was immediately over to them in a heartbeat to investigate what was wrong, but Natsu only shook his head as he led them all away. "It's not a good day to be outside anyway. No harm done."

Lucy tried to keep her sobs to a minimum until they were out of earshot of the rest of the patrons, but even then Natsu took her further under his arm and managed to hide her cries anyway.

. . .

On the way back it had rained as Natsu originally expected, and of course he wasted no time in shedding his jacket to spare it to Lucy. It wasn't utterly warm, especially given that it only had one sleeve, but at least it better covered her up. He clutched Happy to his torso and did his best to shield his cat and best friend from the downpour, so upon returning to the hotel room, he was the most soaked out of everyone and his bangs had stopped defying gravity and flopped into his face.

"You wanna shower first?" Natsu asked a shuddering Lucy, who nodded quietly afterwards. Seeing that she was still pretty unhappy, he cracked a smile at her. "Hey, it's a good thing we left when we did, otherwise we would've been caught in the rain longer!"

"Yeah, that's true…" Lucy agreed before grabbing her things and vanishing into the bathroom. Natsu stared at the bathroom door for the longest time as he ran his fingers through his hair before igniting himself, drying his clothes, and flopping onto the bed disgruntledly. He didn't even bother to fix his bangs, especially when he was face down in a pillow. And now that Lucy was out of the room, Happy flew onto the bed and alighted himself next to Natsu.

"…is Lushi going to be all right?" the cat asked, swinging his paws over the side of the bed.

"Yeah, of course. What's bothering me the most is what brought it on…she kinda broke down out of nowhere."

"Well that movie _was_ really sad. I told you to watch that one with the creature in the basement."

Natsu only moaned into his pillow as he listened to the rain drum harshly against the window. The skies that had been pure blue and sunshine for five days straight were now spattered in angry shades of gray and seemed to wash out all the color straight to the horizon. Definitely wasn't the prettiest of days, but Natsu really wished it wasn't affecting his mood…

Just when Natsu was prepared to call it a night, he suddenly felt Happy tugging on his bagging pants, and one lazy onyx eye rose to acknowledge him. The blue Exceed gave a small smile as he looked somewhat hopeful.

"I have an idea."

By the time Lucy had emerged from the bathroom not looking quite as gloomy but not all that happy either, she was a little startled to find a tent of blankets had been formed on the top of the bed, with Happy's tail sticking out of the entrance. She quirked an eyebrow at this –as she didn't think she'd been in the shower _that_ long- and clambered on in. It looked way bigger on the inside, with Natsu able to sit up without any problems, and there was still room for Happy, "Igneel", and a spontaneous horde of things to make s'mores with. Natsu eventually welcomed her in with a toothy grin.

"I had room service bring all this stuff by! I was hoping it would cheer you up…"

"All Natsu's idea," chirped Happy, gnawing on a marshmallow. Natsu shrugged and scratched his cheek as Lucy got comfortable next to him and gave him an earnest look.

"You're always doing nice stuff for me…please, when we go back, let me do something for you, okay?"

"All right, but I already think it's nice enough that you even put up with me," Natsu hummed, successfully getting Lucy to crack a smile. "Besides, it's still your vacation- if you're sad at all I'm doing something wrong."

"More than one thing," Happy murmured under his breath, Natsu nonchalantly smothering him with a pillow afterwards. Lucy smiled a bit at their actions, but didn't make any eye contact. Once Natsu was done suffocating Happy, he turned to Lucy with a frown creasing his cheeks.

"…so, um, why were you, uh-?"

"Oh! Yeah, that…" Lucy glanced away. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me… One moment I was fine and then the next I just…well, I didn't mean to ruin the movie."

"Eh, it was dragging in the beginning anyway," Natsu assured. "'Sides, as long as you're a little better now we won't dwell on it, m'kay? This is way better than a movie by a longshot- it's like we're camping!"

"Aye, camping in comfort!" agreed Happy, which finally got Lucy to perk up as she grabbed a marshmallow.

"Is that why all this s'more stuff is here…?"

"Yosh!" Natsu plucked the marshmallow from Lucy and tossed it twice in his hand, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It has come to my attention that you have _never_ had one of my famous s'mores, and as they are guaranteed a smile, I decided that this would be a good time to change that little fact."

"A s'more doesn't seem like something that takes much effort though…"

"It's about the only thing he makes really well," scoffed Happy, with Natsu shaking a fist afterwards.

"Hey! I make a pretty mean soup, and I never hear you complaining whenever I bring meat home!"

His subtle fury was subdued when he heard Lucy laughing, turning to find her staring eagerly up at him.

"Well, enough stalling then! Let's just see if this snack of yours is worth all this boasting."

"Heh, coming right up!"

Natsu spun the marshmallow around on his finger and ignited it, putting out the flame right as it darkened to a deep gold color- _just_ before being burned. Happy then tossed two pieces of chocolate into the air, where they landed on the graham crackers balanced on Natsu's free arm. Natsu placed the marshmallow on one of the halves, pressed them both together, and presented it to Lucy with a wink.

"And I didn't even destroy anything!"

"I…am impressed," Lucy admitted, taking the s'more and inspecting it closely. "Are you sure this isn't any different than a normal s'more…?"

"Lucy, you wound me. Do you not trust that a s'more crafted by the flames of a full-fledged dragon slayer would just be some _mere_ chocolatey graham cracker snack?!"

She gave him one more wary look before taking her first bite out of it. His heart soared as he watched her face melt in pleasure after just one taste.

"…Oh my _gosh_ , Natsu! This is amazing! Y-You didn't even do anything different than normal, how did you possibly-?"

"Let's just say it's a Fire Dragon Slayer Secret Art," Natsu chuckled before filling his face with marshmallow puffs. Lucy frankly did the same with her s'more. "You want another one?"

"Yes, please!"

"Haha, someone's addicted now…!"

Not that he was complaining.

Lucy eventually devoured three more s'mores, and she probably would have eaten two more had Happy and Natsu not joined forces to eat the rest of the supplies. Natsu kept his hand outstretched in the middle of the fort, almost like a campfire, and Happy attempted to tell scary stories to pass the time (until they all started ending with "And the fish was EATEN! It was horrible!") From there, Natsu found that he'd rather talk about all the good times they'd had so far, which Lucy was more than on board with. They again talked about how they first met –it was always one of their favorite stories- and followed up with the dramatic tales of all their adventures. No matter how many bad things and bad people were thrown their way, they always managed to pull through and smile about it afterwards.

They had talked and laughed for so long that Happy had eventually fallen asleep on the plushy Igneel, cuing Natsu to put out his fire while Lucy rolled up in her own blanket and contently kept listening to him recount their finest memories. She almost thought he would've talked nonstop about nothing but his various quests across the kingdom, but was pleasantly surprised to find that most of his cherished memories involved her. He was ridiculously open about it too, but one thing she noticed was that he hadn't spoken about anything more… _recent_.

"-and then there was that time when we finished up a mission early, and we all just hung out for the night, and I totally dominated in that pillow fight," Natsu snickered before sighing happily afterward, kicking back against the headboard. "Yeah, we've definitely had some really good times back then…"

"Hm, are you trying to say those were our glory days?" Lucy asked casually, her arms folded on her pillow and her head resting on them. However, Natsu's eyes lit up with genuine confusion when he glanced down at her.

"Eh? What are glory days?"

"Well…" she paused, trying to think up a good way to explain to him. "They're days in the past that were better than how they are now…"

As his mind stirred trying to make sense of that, Lucy lowered her gaze.

"It's like when I was young…my life became so miserable that I always thought the best days were behind me."

"…well _that's_ a sudden change of atmosphere," Natsu mumbled, lowering his eyes. Lucy bit her lip and buried her face into her pillow. "C'mon Luce, what's up? Happy's asleep- he won't tease ya or anything."

Lucy was quiet for the longest time, but eventually she murmured,

"Natsu, tomorrow is our last day of being here…isn't it?"

His breath caught in his throat- crap, crap, it WAS their last day! How did it all fly by so quickly?! He…he hadn't even attempted any sort of confession yet! Oh lord what was he supposed to do now?! Six days had flown by and not once had he even come close to spitting out what he needed to. He tensed as his stomach churned violently, knowing that he'd just made a tomorrow into a "Now or never, do or die" moment, but with the way Lucy was shuffling around under the sheets, Natsu knew there was something else on her mind.

And her problems came first.

"Also…it's the seventh…of July…tomorrow…" Lucy stuttered moments later, grasping her pillow with a fierce grip. She expected him to gripe at her for bringing something like that up, but when he was quiet for far too long she turned back to him…and found him sitting with wide eyes and a shamefully horrified look.

"I…forgot…" he breathed, shaking slightly and gulping down his sudden anxiety. "I forgot…that was this week…I was so distracted I forgot…"

Lucy didn't take her eyes off of him as she placed a hand on his knee, trying to get him to calm down. Slowly, after cursing himself for "being so dumb" a few moments longer, his eyes met hers, and both their gazes held nearly equal amounts of sadness.

"The seventh day of the seventh month in the year X777…" he recited, with his voice sounding a bit scratchy. He didn't need to say any more; they shared the same thought, and they knew it.

" _The worst day of our lives."_

The room fell into a fleeting silence as the weight of the declaration settled- that tomorrow was the anniversary of a day that turned both their lives inside out for very similar reasons. One of them lost a mother…the other lost a father.

No wonder Lucy had shattered earlier, and Natsu was kicking himself for not realizing it sooner. It had been plaguing her mind all day, and only now was he realizing _that's_ why she'd been hesitant to come on the vacation in first place. She already despised her birthday, and tomorrow was the one day out of the year when she preferred to be alone- the days in between were just one giant sandwich of dwelling and dreading, _and he knew that_ …and it slipped his mind. Idiot.

"I'm so sorry, Luce," he whispered, tearing his gaze away and still mentally kicking himself. She stared up at him quietly, wondering why he was apologizing this time. "I just wanted to make you feel better, but I got impulsive and I wasn't thinking-"

"…it's fine. I mean, tomorrow's not a good day for you either…" She hiccupped and lowered into her pillow once again. "…but I'm afraid I'll ruin our final day on vacation by getting all choked up… She's been gone for so long, Natsu…and I hate that the anniversary is _always_ going to remind me of that pain no matter how much I smile!"

His heart sank when she broke down into full on tears, no longer holding anything back anymore. The worst part about it was that she was upset about something he just couldn't fix, and that killed him the most.

"I…do know how you feel, you know. For the most part, you're over it…but thinking about it is still always going to hurt…"

"But _you_ just get angry whenever you talk about the day Igneel left; you've taken action, you've gone looking for him, you've been productive about it…" Lucy blubbered. "…all I can do is just cry and mourn and it doesn't do anything for me…"

"Everyone copes differently, Lucy," Natsu murmured, his voice growing quieter. "… _and it's not like I never cried_ …"

"I r-really did have fun this week, though…I just really don't want to end this on a b-bad note…"

"…hey, don't worry." Natsu gently held her chin and guided her face out of the pillow so she could see his smile. "Together we are going to make tomorrow a day we'll remember happily instead of with a heavy heart. I'll see to it; we'll make new memories that'll start to chase away all the bad feelings that come with that date, okay?"

As if to prove his point, he started to lay down too, ready to fall asleep and grab tomorrow by the horns, come what may. It took Lucy a few more minutes to halt her tears, but once she finally did, she flipped to face Natsu again and managed a weak smile.

"Okay…I believe you…"

The two of them fell into another sleepless silence, although not an awkward one, until Natsu decided to speak up again.

"…what was your mom like?"

Lucy immediately tensed up; Natsu felt like throwing himself out the window as he hastily started to apologize.

"A-aw crap! Sorry! Sorry! Insensitive question! I just…since we're not sleeping anytime soon and it's on your mind I thought-"

"Calm down, you dork," Lucy chuckled, which he did as soon as he saw she wasn't upset at blabbing the first thing that came to mind as usual. "I'm surprised you're interested…"

"How can I not be? She's the wonderful person that brought you into this world, nah?" Natsu hummed, getting a giggle out of Lucy. He beamed as he adjusted himself, turning on his side and resting his hand on his hand. "So she was wonderful, right?"

Lucy nodded carefully, a small smile on her face. "Yes, of course…after all, she was my father's voice of reason, and she was the anchor that kept all within the Heartfilia Mansion in check. She could turn any bad situation into a better one, and if she was present, you'd always know things would be okay in the end… There was a lot that I didn't even know about her, with me being so young and all, but I remember that no one really told me when or how Mama got sick…and she was ill for a long time…and then one day she was gone, and I wasn't around to see her just one more time."

She dropped her head, dry of tears for the moment, but sad just the same. Natsu ran her words through his heads before speaking again; he was putting in the effort to not upset her again, but he felt more comfortable when he just spoke his mind.

"Well, I'm glad that you rightfully cherished your time with her. And being upset that she's gone…that just shows that you genuinely cared," he said quietly, looking away to avoid her gaze. "The closest thing I ever had to a mom was Mira, and even then that was like having a cranky older sister nagging you all the time."

"Aw, I'm sure Igneel had his…softer moments." Natsu snorted at her remark with a wicked smirk.

"Heh, when you're the Flame Dragon King, there's not much room to be gentle…but he definitely was compassionate when he wanted to be." Natsu gently moved Happy off of plushy Igneel, then dragged the stuffed dragon into his possession. He smiled gently, taking in the similarities once again. "Yeah, he never held back with me- I was pushed hard all the time, always having to give it my all just like a dragon. He had faith that I could succeed in everything I did, no matter how many times I failed. At the same time, he tried his best to keep me up with human culture, but his knowledge was kind of dated…"

Lucy watched as he pulled his scarf over his face.

"…sometimes I feel so behind compared to everyone else…and I can't catch up. Even though I knew Fairy Tail was the place I belonged from the first day I stepped foot in it, I…kinda felt like an outsider for a while."

"And now look at you- one of the biggest names in the guild, one of the most important members, and one of the reasons why I joined in the first place," Lucy pointed out softly. "It might've been a little rough for the both of us in the beginning, but at least we're in a good place now."

"Yeah," he agreed simply, distractedly playing with plushy Igneel's little wings. He blinked in surprise when Lucy nudged his arm out of nowhere, finding her beaming at him.

"…thanks for telling me all that, Natsu. You didn't have to, you know…"

"Eh, it was only fair. Why should you be the only one that gets to share?" he said with a wink. "Besides, if you were to ask me, I'd say that glory days are the wonderful things that have _yet_ to happen. Because, if the best is already behind us…what would we have to look forward to?"

His grin was bright even in the dark, Lucy basking in its glow.

"Huh…that's pretty insightful, Natsu."

"You say that like you're surprised. I spout my psychology all the time."

" _Philosophy_ , and I'm not surprised." She smiled bashfully. "I just happen to think it's a nice thought."

God, his cheeks were aching from grinning but he couldn't stop. " _I_ like to believe in the good things that are coming."

He noticed Happy twitch from where he was, but other than that the Exceed didn't stir. Natsu smirked at his cat, then started twiddling his thumbs. Lucy could tell he was obviously thinking about something –it wasn't hard to tell _when_ he was- but what came out his mouth next she was _very_ surprised to hear.

"Do you think one day we could get a second chance?"

"Mm, what do you mean?"

"Like…well…" He was utterly still, except for the fact he was fiddling with his scarf. "I mean, my time with Igneel has made me who I am today, and nothing's ever going to replace Fairy Tail…but I can't help but wonder what having a 'normal' family is like. I see Bisca, Alzack, and Asuka all the time and they seem pretty happy…"

He glanced at Lucy for her reaction, but she appeared perplexed. He quickly tried to backpedal his words.

"…it's silly, isn't it? I shouldn't have said any-"

"No, it's normal for you to think like that…" Lucy assured, Natsu relaxing slightly. "…but what do you mean by a second chance?"

"You know…if one day…I ended up starting a family," he said simply enough. "I wouldn't want my kids to be deprived of a mother, and I would always be there for them… I'd take 'em on adventures, teach 'em dragon slayer magic, convince 'em to help me prank Gray from time to time-"

"You would," Lucy snickered with an eye roll, yet Natsu heard the smile in her tone.

"Anyway, my point is, I'd want give my family the things I never had, that's all," he finished, seeming wistful as he said it. "I just hope that I do a good job…I'm not exactly my first pick for a decent dad…"

"Well, I've seen how good you are with kids…and you care about people so much…" Lucy added with a yawn, starting to snuggle deeper within the blankets. "…I think you'd be a fantastic father."

Natsu's eyes widened with the potential implication of her words; his heart started rattling in his ribcage like it was desperately trying to break free. His mind raced and he felt as though an eternity passed in the short few seconds it took to get his thoughts together. Heart still hammering, a surge of courage of a different kind than he was used to pumped through his veins- it inexplicably _burst_ through him, washing away any concerns he had for consequences.

"Well…if you really want to know the truth…" he started cautiously yet not hesitantly, squeezing his eyes shut as if to forcibly chase away his second thoughts. "…I wouldn't mind at all if… _you_ were the mother…"

He held his breath, expecting her to immediately shoot down the idea and scold him for being some twisted pervert, or at the very least get her flustered, but surprisingly there was no response. He froze, imagining her thinking over the possibility…and then blanched, wondering if she was repulsed by the very thought.

He swallowed the lump in his dry throat.

"Lucy…?"

His worries were shattered where he heard a soft snore, and he was half relieved half disappointed that she had fallen asleep. His rush of random courage dissipated, and he was reprimanding himself for his approach while also griping over the fact that she'd fallen asleep on him!

"Aw man, I was so close...I could've built up to something…!"

Natsu held his breath again as Lucy shifted where she was, but she seemed to fall into her usual hard sleep. He released the breath and decided he should probably get to sleep too before he deprived himself of too much air. As he laid comfortably, he had a slight feeling that Lucy wouldn't have taken too well to his implications, so maybe he dodged a bullet with that one…but hey, he could still dream about it.

"Maybe someday…maybe some glorious day that'll finally happen." He lit up at the thought, nestling snuggly into the soft pillow. "…I kinda gotta tell you how I feel first though. Happy would go berserk on me if he found out what I just tried…"

The blue Exceed in question ticked an ear, but it went unnoticed by the dragon slayer.


	8. Night 6: Happy (Prelude)

**Yo guys! This isn't the real eighth chapter- think of this as more of a "7.5" or "bonus chapter". The seventh day is (obviously) an important one, and I haven't had much time to work on it when it's a doozy.** **..so here's a little perspective from our third main character to hold you over (this was actually the beginning OF the next chapter, but I think it works better separately). The true next chapter will be done soon, but here's a tiny taste of what's to come in the meantime. ;3**

* * *

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Night 6: Happy (Prelude)_

If you were to go into Fairy Tail and ask for the biggest supporter of Natsu and Lucy, one might be tempted to point to Mirajane, or Levy, or Cana, or even Gray or Lisanna…or Asuka… In fact, you could walk straight into that huge guild hall, ask if Lucy and Natsu should be a couple, and just about every hand in the room would raise high with an "AYE SIR!"

But no matter how much Gray teased Natsu, no matter how much Lisanna pushed Lucy to support Natsu in her stead, no matter how much Cana and Levy urged Lucy to get a boyfriend, no matter how much Asuka _really_ wanted them to kiss, and no matter how much Mirajane wanted little "NaLu babies" to start running around…it was _Happy_ that held the title of being the first to see their spark.

He could boast that he literally got to watch Natsu fall in love.

After all, Happy had been there since _before_ the beginning- in that awkward time when Lisanna had presumably died and Natsu was a pretty aimless guy. He did nothing but go on jobs, hunt for leads on Igneel, pick countless fights in the guild, and became the number one reason as to why Fairy Tail was so scrutinized beneath the Magic Council's eyes. He refused to do anything or go anywhere with anyone except Happy (who was sort of his last big piece of Lisanna) and it was only when they were alone at home that Natsu would ever act like himself. He got better over time, but still… Happy worried if he would ever come around again.

And then they stumbled into Hargeon, and everything flipped upside down.

Happy remembered asking Natsu time and time again what could have _possibly_ possessed him to bring that blonde bimbo to the guild in the first place. She was whiny, self-absorbed, was _way_ too concerned with her looks, and prioritized money over nearly everything. Happy could even tell Natsu was annoyed with her at a few points; he planned to just bring her to the guild and let her do her thing, probably not going to talk to her again just like nearly everyone else…but she was always _there_.

Flashing her guild symbol when they weren't interested, stalking them to Mount Hakabe on the quest to get back Macao and not even doing much but whine about the cold, brutally kicking them all around her house when they merely wanted to say hi, complaining and ranting during their first mission…it was beyond Happy to figure out why Natsu put up with her during the job, let alone wanting her to hang around all the time after that. He had never teamed up with _anyone_ before, and _she_ was who he picked…?!

"…she's got a good heart, and plus, we can trust her. We saw her contract a Celestial Spirit; she's not a promise breaker, and I respect that," he insisted that night, suspiciously pinning their job request onto their bulletin board. He also, for whatever reason, had Lucy's maid dress and made sure to carefully hang it up away from the mess that consumed their floor. When that was done, Natsu took a step back and admired his work before flashing a grin at Happy. "…besides, she IS a nice person. I can tell."

Happy warily eyed the "My first mission with Lucy!" labeled on the board, but the cat merely boiled it down to Natsu being happy at having someone to hang out with again other than a blue cat.

But, maybe Lucy _was_ a nice person.

Since she'd arrived at the guild, Natsu was actually _smiling_ again, and most of the time he didn't even have a _reason_ to. And if that wasn't all, one by one Lucy had made friends with just about everyone and by extension that got Natsu to let others in once more as well. As much as Happy teased Lucy back in those days, it was just because he was secretly thankful that she had brought Natsu back to normal- and she served as the lynchpin that kept the "strongest team" together. Never before would anyone have ever imagined Natsu teaming up with two of his biggest rivals, let alone them uniting to take down a giant rampaging demon. Lucy hadn't participated in that fight…but Happy saw it; there was the slightest change in her after that. And it was a good one.

She became much less conceited after the Eisenwald incident and the mission on Galuna Island, and this finally became apparent to Happy when Phantom Lord attacked Fairy Tail just to get their hands on her. They took her right out from under them; Lucy had been separate from the rest of the group, and there had been nothing Natsu could do about it. All too immediately he hunted down Lucy's scent the second he found out she was taken, and it was impossible for Happy to forget the pure _intensity_ on his face. By the time they'd found her, Lucy had jumped from a tower, crying out Natsu's name… Happy had never seen the dragon slayer move so fast.

And that was when Natsu started acting different.

Happy knew Natsu better than anyone; he lived, adventured, ate, and sleep with the guy, and after that day, something had morphed in him. Natsu had sensed that there was a little more to Lucy than just some pretty face- her heart was the biggest in all of Fairy Tail, and the only reason she had acted so badly before was merely because she didn't know better. The daughter of rich parents, deprived of friends, borderline abused, and was taught that anyone who wasn't on her level was beneath her…but while she exhibited some of those snobbish qualities, she'd never believed in them, and Natsu made sure _she_ knew that.

When she was kidnapped the second time by Phantom Lord, Lucy willingly wanted to give herself up just to keep the guild safe; willing to give up her freedom to repay the ones who had opened their arms and called her family… but there was no way Natsu was going to let that happen, not now. Happy's eyes had been wide with wonder at the sheer force and anger Natsu displayed against Gajeel, having seen nothing like it before… It had shocked Lucy, but Happy was certain he was far more surprised.

The three of them were inseparable after that.

They'd panicked when they thought she'd gone back to her mansion after everything (twice), went on more jobs than ever with one another, wasted no time in going after Erza when she was taken to the Tower of Heaven, gave it their all in the Battle of Fairy Tail and the Fantasia Parade after that…not to mention all the chaos with Nirvana and Edolas… Happy quickly learned that it wasn't safe to even mention harming Lucy when within earshot of Natsu. Sometime he felt lucky he could even get away with his teasing!

That was more than proven on Tenrou.

Mavis, Happy had never seen Natsu look so desperate as he had been when he was trapped under that rock, forced to watch Lucy getting battered and beaten before his eyes. No matter how hard he shouted, she refused to run and leave him behind. Happy liked to think that Natsu sort of admired her and feared for her because of that- as when Acnologia reared its ugly head once everything was said and done, he couldn't stand to see Lucy on the brink of tears again.

If you asked Happy, that was the moment Natsu realized how he felt about Lucy. As Natsu was never a man of words –he still wasn't- he had more than proved it with the look in his eye and brutal sincerity in his voice alone. There wasn't enough time for him to tell her anything, so the action of taking her hand with the promise of never letting go would have to suffice.

Once it turned out they'd survived the attack and were deprived of seven years, there were _huge_ changes in Natsu. Suddenly Lucy's happiness and protection was mandatory, as shown when he threw himself headfirst into helping her solve the mystery of her father's memento. He'd been a jealous mess when Dan Straight came into the picture, not to mention how riled he was when Lucy had been absorbed into the Infinity Clock. He even went out of his way to catch her like she was a falling star, not the least bit content until she was safely back in his arms.

The Grand Magic Games were no different- Natsu refused to let Lucy be down on herself, picking her up and reassuring her when she was at her lowest. He was always somewhere near her–or always wanted to be, anyway- especially after she'd gotten hurt and explained that she had always believed in him. Those few words from her alone gave him the strength to take down the Twin Dragons, and not to mention how _dead set_ he was on rescuing Lucy after she'd been arrested –Happy still mocked him about it, by the way.

He _did not_ mock how affected Natsu was by Future Lucy's death. Happy certainly had been shaken up about it -he actually had a few nightmares- but Natsu, who was incredibly amazing at masking his emotions, was internally destroyed. _Nothing_ had scared Natsu like seeing a lethal shot aimed at the one person he cared about more than anybody, and his chance to save her slipped right through his fingers. Pure terror filled his eyes at the realization that he'd _missed_ …which turned into heartbreaking shock when Lucy's future self had taken the blow. There would have been no good outcome, and the mere fact Natsu had earned a horrid scar in the process of taking down the guy responsible who heavily outclassed himself…that spoke volumes on just how deep the emotional wounds cut.

All in all, whether it be good times or bad, his love for her was so obvious Happy wanted to kick a wall- and worse, Natsu _knew_ precisely what he was feeling, but he never acted, far too positive that Lucy could never see him in the same light- he was only that really good friend, and she was his daily sunshine that he just could never seem to reach, grab, and always hold onto.

But Happy knew better.

"He liiiiikes you!" "She looooooves you!"

He didn't tease purely for the heck of it; he teased because he _knew_. Lucy might've always been awkward when it came to the subject of romance, but she couldn't deny her own reactions. She blushed at Natsu's praises and compliments, adored him like no other, was able to calm him down with no more than a hug, and was looking out for him just as much as he did her. She didn't know she was in love, and Happy only wished that his teasing would eventually make her think twice and ask herself, "Wait, _do_ I?"

His teasing was his way to show his love and support, hoping that one day he would possibly be the thing that spurned one of them into confronting the other, but he never did any more than that –it would be just as disastrous if they tried something were neither of them were ready for, after all.

Happy could wait, and if he was honest, he actually didn't mind. He got to watch something beautiful blossom with each and every new day, and maybe just seeing the two of them _be happy_ with simply being around each other was enough. Who knew- maybe one day they'd wake up in Lucy's bed after sleeping off some grueling mission and just automatically assume they'd been together the whole time.

So when it came to their relationship, Happy was no different than anyone else, wanting them to _get on_ with it. …but just the same, he'd be willing to wait until that fateful day where they'd be doing something stupid and just so _happened_ to gaze into each other's eyes when the light was just right, and the strength of their bonds that had been building for a time that seemed like years would finally be strong enough to pull the two of them together like some magnetic attraction, in some electrifying kiss that spoke far louder than words could ever hope to.

Or at least, that's how Happy liked to imagine it.


	9. Day 7: Happy (Postlude)

**Ah, here we go, the chapter everyone's been waiting for! Your kind words with the bonus chapter were just the boost I needed to get this finished! Sorry it's long, but it goes by fast...**

 **(Just keep in mind there's still one chapter after this as a few things still need to be resolved. ;3)**

* * *

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Day 7: Happy (Postlude)_

 ** _July 7th-_**

"Mmm…Lucy… _Lucy_ …"

Natsu shifted his body during his waning sleep, snuggling closer to the object wrapped up tightly in his arms. He nuzzled his cheek against something soft until a lazy smile crossed his face, his eyes fluttered open…and found himself coddling plushy Igneel.

"Eeeeeeh?!" he wailed, springing up into a sitting position as he tossed the stuffed dragon over to where Lucy was supposed to be next to him. Which she wasn't.

It was already early afternoon (yeesh, did he really sleep in that long?!) as the sun was glaring down on him through the open curtains. He didn't hear the sound of the shower going, and her scent wasn't as strong as it should have been…

She wasn't in the room.

"Luuuuucy!"

Natsu tried to jump out of the bed to immediately spring into action, ending up ensnared in the fort of blankets and knocking himself to the floor. He groaned when his head smacked against the table, yet when he finally managed to battle his pink head out of the heap of sheets, he found Happy casually sitting in the corner chair, raising an eyebrow behind a newspaper that was twice his size. Natsu ignored that strange fact and resumed his state of panic.

"Happy!" he barked, the cat merely twitching his tail in response. "Where's Lucy?!"

This _was_ the seventh of July; maybe she'd decided she would rather be alone after all…

"Lucy? Oh, I threw money at her and sent her shopping for a nice dress the moment she woke up. She'll be back later."

"W-what?! By herself?!" Natsu squeaked, with Happy giving him a look.

"She _can_ handle herself, Natsu."

"I know that!" Natsu yelped, then recoiled behind the blanket pile. "…I still worry about her though…"

Happy was a little too unresponsive after that, having apparently gone back to reading the newspaper in great detail. Natsu's stare harrowed into Happy, trying to search him out for anything suspicious, but Happy merely turned a page.

"…what's in that paper that has you so on edge anyway? I don't think I've seen you read a newspaper, like, ever."

The look Happy gave him was not a pleasant one.

"Oh, you know, just the latest _breaking news_ about your HORRIBLE confession attempt last night…!"

"…KAAAAAA!" Natsu's face instantly drained of all color as Happy fully lowered the newspaper to scowl fiercely at him. "How much did you hear?!"

"Just about everything," Happy snorted. "But what immediately comes to mind is a little something about how you're already jumping to the 'having children' stage when you _don't even have the girl_!"

"Gah…?!" Natsu went from full-on blanching to turning several shades of vibrant red. "Dear god, you heard _all_ that?!"

"How could I not?! You guys wouldn't shut up and it started out all heartwarming with how close you two were getting, but I didn't need to hear about precisely _how_ 'close' you want to be-!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Natsu yowled, madly waving his arms around. "It wasn't even anything _like_ that! And _you_ might've heard, but Lucy didn't…!"

"…look at yourself, you did an indirect confession and she doesn't even _know_." Happy became remarkably faint as he dramatically put a paw to his forehead. "Let's face it- we might as well send you home to the guild all set in a body bag; it'll save everyone else the trouble when they're finished _punishing you_!"

"AUUUUUGH, look, today's the last day, and there's no motivation like procrastination, right?" Natsu laughed weakly, but Happy took the opportunity to whack Natsu with the newspaper for being an idiot.

"Oh ho no no no. You nearly royally screwed up last night, and as your best friend I am _not_ going to let you do it again!" A devious grin crossed the Exceed's features as he held up a neon-colored flyer and thrust it in Natsu's face. "Cancel whatever _you've_ got planned, cuz your ol' pal Happy has a way better idea!"

He continued to hold the flyer proudly while Natsu stared blankly at it.

"Happy, you know I can't read most of that, right?"

"Tch, ' _most of it_ ' isn't important anyway. Just read the giant bold sentence at the bottom."

Natsu squinted at the final sentence while grumbling.

"I don't see why I have to-OOOOOH _HELL_ NO! That…that's out of my comfort zone!"

"And it's _in_ Lucy's, and that's what's important! C'mon, it's totally romantic!" Happy cheered. "The atmosphere will be relaxing, the mood will be set, the scene will be perfect, and all you'd have to do is capitalize on it! For fish's sake it feels like the universe itself has been pushing you two together all week and yet you deny the greater powers…!"

He gleefully continued striking Natsu with the newspaper, beating any ideas of escaping this fate out of his head.

"Stop denying the universe, _Natsu_! More importantly, stop denying yourself!" Happy ceased the newspaper assault and gained a smug look. "It's too late anyway- Lucy's already getting ready for it even though she doesn't exactly know what it is, and I told her that this was all your idea and it was going to be a huge surprise! Don't wanna disappoint your _lady love_ , huh Natsu?"

" _Traitor_!" roared Natsu, his eyes going blank and fire spewing out his mouth. "I raised you straight from an egg and this is how you repay me?!"

"Yes it is! I have a multi-point plan to help you snag a girlfriend; most guys would be groveling at my feet over such a stroke of genius…and then there's _you_ trying to weasel out of it. Just gotta make things difficult-"

"Happy," moaned Natsu, falling forward and laying miserably on the floor. "Why have you betrayed me…?"

"I'm starting to see why Lucy thinks you're overly dramatic."

"Wait, what-?"

"Get fired up, Natsu!" Happy declared, leaping onto his back and bopping his head again. "I'll help you get ready, no problem! You'll look so hot it'll make a dragon wanna retire, man!"

"This is gonna suck…"

"The only sucking you'd better be doing is sucking up this pessimistic attitude of yours and tell her you love her!" Happy started hopping on his back with a knowing glint in his eyes. " _Do you_ love Lucy?"

"More than I've ever loved anyone," he murmured lamely into the floor.

"Then _say_ it!"

"…I love Lucy…" Happy whapped him. "Ow! Man, knock it off! I don't have to take this abuse!"

"Say it with your chest! Declare it loud and proud like you _mean_ it!"

Natsu's eyes narrowed determinedly, whisking the mountain of blankets off his body and Happy along with them. He punched his fist into his palm, cuing a ring of flames to start billowing at his feet.

"I love Lucy!"

"Scream it like a declaration of war!" wailed Happy. "Pour every drop of feelings you have for that girl and release it for all to hear like you'll never get another breath agaaaaaain!"

Natsu threw his head back and howled, "I LOVE LUCY HEARTFILIA…!"

 _This_ rattled every wall in the room –and probably every room on the top floor- which earned the duo some angry wall bashing from the neighbors. Happy was satisfied at this point, springing upwards into the air.

"AYE SIR! Now let's do it to it!"

Natsu folded his arms and put on a pouting look, eyeing Happy skeptically. "…are you sure this is even going to work?"

"Trust me, Natsu- this is definitely right approach to take because I know you wouldn't take it on your own! It's foolproof!"

"Ah yeah that makes sense- hey wait a minute what's THAT supposed to-?"

Happy merely snickered as he whacked Natsu with the newspaper one more time just for good measure.

. . .

Lucy impatiently paced the length of the hotel room a couple hours later, not entirely thrilled since Natsu wasn't back yet and Happy was nowhere to be found. Her current attire consisted of her knee-length and very saucy red party dress, wedged heels, and pinned up hair, and while she was confidently rocking the look she still constantly found herself drifting back and forth in front of the mirror. Happy said to dress semi-formal, but she still felt like it was a little too much, and at the same time she wondered if more makeup and jewelry would help…

"But it's only Natsu I'd need to impress," she murmured to herself, smoothing out her dress and twirling a stray strand of hair around her finger, creating a curl that framed her face. As much as she wanted to paint up her face and adorn her neck and wrists in jewelry, Lucy knew Natsu had never cared much for that stuff. He actually said yesterday that her 'natural state' was way prettier than when she added makeup (as she'd been trying to doll up for the movie)…and maybe he had a point.

Discretely, she removed some of the blush off her cheeks and replaced the bold lipstick with just lip gloss.

"Now, if someone would just show up and tell me what's even going on…!" Lucy exasperated, throwing her arms into the air as she –carefully- threw herself onto the bed. Happy had practically pushed her out the door that morning with a wad of cash and the instructions to be back by the evening. Of course, she returned earlier than that, just as Natsu whisked out of the door saying _he'd_ be back soon…and that'd been two hours ago.

Not the weirdest day she ever had, but still.

There was an abrupt and somewhat anxious knock on the door that nearly scared Lucy straight out of her skin. Grabbing at her rapidly beating heart, she battled off the bed and clambered toward the door, thrusting her eye against the peephole. All she saw were tufts of pink hair blocking the view of the hall and hearing something about "being fired up".

Her deadpan expression contradicted the way her stomach was doing somersaults as she pulled open the door-

" _HERE_."

-and ended up with a face full of roses.

"Mmph?!"

"Aaaaaaaaah sorry," Natsu coughed nervously, pulling back the bouquet as he scratched his cheek. "Happy's got me needlessly worked up…"

"Why would he…?" Lucy began to say as she brushed lingering petals off her face, her gaze falling on the guy in front of her. Natsu was casually smiling at her in an untucked and partially unbuttoned white dress shirt, a loosely hanging tie (and not to mention his scarf), and some sharp black pants…

"U-Um…thanks for the flowers," Lucy stammered, using the bouquet to hide the fact she'd been checking him out. He'd been unusually quiet himself- had he been doing the same thing?

"Well Happy said you would like 'em, but I don't really understand the appeal in flowers that are kinda dead anyway, but- ah- yeah they smell good at least."

Lucy smirked at such a typical Natsu response, inhaling the aroma _without_ burying her face in them. "Well it's a very considerate thought, Natsu. Thank you."

He slipped his hands in his pockets. "Don't sweat it, Luce!"

Lucy reentered the room to put the roses in some water, hoping that would help them last a little longer, then finished grabbing her things and left the room with Natsu.

"So where are we going as the grand finale?" Lucy hummed, her arm intertwined with Natsu's. "Happy said it was a surprise…"

"Yeah, it was a surprise to me too," Natsu grunted through a gritted smile. Lucy took note of the conflicted grin and wondered just what Happy had managed to pull…

When they arrived at the destination, Lucy was pleasantly astounded to find that it was the beach once again, and yet it looked different from the morning they went swimming and the luau the night after. There was a full-blown party on the beach, with people gliding and jumping around on a lit up dance floor. They were all dressed nicely yet comfortably, so Lucy felt a lot less self-conscious. The subtle lighting shone well against the evening's dark backdrop, and the live music dictated the mood of the party, whether it was slow and peaceful or fast and lively. In short, it looked like nothing but fun and Lucy had to contain her internal excitement.

Lucy took an awestruck breath and glanced up at the stars for a moment, smiling as she clutched Natsu's arm.

"It's something beautiful…"

Natsu followed her awed stare to the sky, but found himself preferring to gaze at Lucy.

"Yeah, it really is."

A fast song started playing right about then, and apparently it was some tune Lucy recognized, because she threw herself into the crowd with her arms in the air and started singing and dancing along. Natsu let her have her fun for the moment, then drifted over to the snack table to distract himself a little. He wouldn't lie, it didn't seem like a bad place for a love confession, and he still didn't have any better ideas so he was going to roll with it...but first, he was going to enjoy a much needed snack. There wasn't a very varied amount of choices, so Natsu helped himself to a whole tray of sandwiches until Happy popped out of a chip bowl and promptly swiped it away.

"Idiot! You want sandwich breath when you confess to Lucy?!"

Natsu took a moment to blink and wonder where his tray went before he registered Happy's presence. "KAAAAAAA-?! What are you doing here?!"

"I figured I'd masterfully disguise myself in the snack table so that you'd inevitably come over and we could lay out the plan!" Happy exclaimed excitedly, pulling out a small clipboard from his chip bowl. Natsu looked about ready to fall over. "Okay, when the slow songs start getting thrown into the mix, gently take Lucy's hand and guide her into the dance! Then, make a bit of small talk and let a natural silence fall..."

"Happy-"

"Then gently caress her cheek with your hand, whisper her name in a single breath, and with the breeze delicately tousling your hair and the backdrop of the golden sun dipping over the sparkling horizon –I pulled a few strings to make sure the scene is just right!- go in for the kiss of a lifetime!"

"H-Happy-!"

"Then let the sparks fly, get married, plan a honeymoon, and then you can get started on those kids you want-"

Natsu hastily stuffed about ten chips into Happy's mouth to silence him, steaming out the ears from sheer embarrassment. Thankfully Lucy was out of earshot, but still…!

" _Seriously_ Happy?!"

"Just trying to keep the dream alive," Happy scoffed back. "Really out of that whole scene I just want you to _tell her_ , but if you sneak a kiss in there afterwards I won't be opposed! I even brought some mints!"

Happy handed a small pack out to Natsu; Natsu devoured the whole box, seeing as Happy probably wasn't going to let him eat anything now. He instantly regretted it.

"Ew! What flavor are these?!"

"Well, those _were_ wintermint-"

"Gross! They taste the way Gray smells…"

"…I also have cinnamon."

"Gimme!"

Natsu only managed to chow down half the box and burp before Happy swiped them back, saving them for an "emergency". The dragon slayer made a face.

"You're killing me here, Natsu. Just go over to the girl and spit out 'I love you!' and you're done! That's what _I_ do with Carla!"

"That…sounds so tasteless," Natsu shuddered, knowing precisely how well Carla normally responded to Happy's advances. "I'm probably not going to do it so…in her face."

"Whatever works for you, as long as you tell her," murmured Happy, sliding back into the chip bowl to go back to snooping. "Just stick to the plan, and good luuuuck~!"

Natsu stayed long enough to watch some unsuspecting party-goer stick her hand straight into Happy's bowl and grab a handful of chips. The dragon slayer decided to momentarily _not_ be associated with Happy and proceeded to go hunt for Lucy on the dance floor. When found her, moving around with little rhythm but a lot of heart, he chuckled to himself and stuck to the sidelines, contently watching her have fun.

She'd somehow melded in with a small group of girls who all apparently shared a similar taste in music, as they were all now trying to copy each other's moves and work in sync. Sure, all the other girls could count as pretty, but Natsu only had eyes for Lucy, her smile, and her laugh…as did a few other guys ogling her from across the stage.

As soon as they'd started to approach her Natsu sent them running to the hills with a nightmarish snarl straight from hell. Lucy had noticed their quick departure and glanced over to Natsu to see if he had something to do with it; he flashed an innocent grin. She rolled her eyes and danced on her lonesome until the song finished, then Natsu found her at his side nudging his arm.

"C'mon, you're missing all the fun!"

He barely had a chance to protest when she dragged him into the crowd, choosing a spot where not too many eyes would fall on them. Lucy let him go and put on a dangerous grin, swinging her arms in front of her as she moved in a circle around him. Natsu merely stepped from side to side at one point, but seeing as Lucy was outdoing him in terms of flair, he threw in a few of his owns moves until he was dancing just as wildly as she was, waving their bodies about and constantly bumping into each other.

"You call _that_ dancing?! You look like a monkey with two broken legs!" Lucy snickered him.

"Psh, at least I don't have the grace of a tipsy penguin!"

"Oh okay, Mister _I-think-disco-moves are-still-cool_!"

"THEY ARE!"

They sort of found themselves in a dance battle after that, although they were too busy making fun of each other to really do anything complex. Natsu fell into a routine of striking fighting poses to the beat while Lucy alternated between fancy twirls and nearly giving herself whiplash. Natsu told her to pick a style and stick with it; Lucy told him to find style itself and then come talk to her. By the time the song ended they weren't even dancing anymore, having collapsed into chairs grabbing their stomachs and cackling at one another.

And then the slow song started.

As if someone flipped a switch, Natsu was trying to figure out what sort of new panic was coursing through him. The music reduced in speed and the dance floor considerably cleared, leaving only a few couples who had instantly drawn together. He could just hear Happy snickering in his little hiding spot now, and instead carefully glanced at Lucy, who was staring back at him with her wide brown eyes and a shy smile. His heart raced when he watched her lift her hand up, symbolizing a silent invitation for him to join her.

"Shall we dance?"

Crap, there was no saying no to that.

Natsu speechlessly nodded as he grasped her outstretched palm, clutching it gently as she pulled him into the center of the stage. She positioned them in a proper ballroom stance…but Natsu had absolutely no idea what to do, so he sort of just stepped left and right a few times and hoped to build some rhythm that way, but that only earned him a desperately confused look.

"…why are you so stiff? You were moving like you were boneless only a few minutes ago."

"I'm…" Natsu sucked his teeth. "…not the biggest fan of dancing…"

"What do you mean you hate dancing?! You were yelling about how much better you were than me earlier," Lucy retorted immediately, making Natsu inwardly wince. "Not to mention that you're the fool that jumps up on tables at the guild and shakes around his butt shamelessly…and don't even get me started on that hot shot _fire dancing_ -"

"Okay, okay! I don't _hate_ dancing but…" There he went, fumbling with his scarf again. "…dancing with someone else is hard and I don't wanna embarrass ya or something."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about embarrassing me?"

"B-Because this is different! It just _is_ , okay?"

"Well…I'm not making you do this…we can stop…"

"But I don't mind doing it for a while." Natsu placed a hand on the small of her back and glanced down at her warmly. "So I think I can last a little bit."

He started guiding her around a little more dynamically, but he was still rather clueless, and he cursed himself every time he bumped into her or worse, stepped on her feet. He felt twice her pain every time her face contorted when his dress shoe crushed her toes, or when she nearly tripped over his feet after he took a misstep.

"Ow…ow…OW!"

"Sorry, sorry…" Natsu kept mumbling, eventually resorting to looking down in order to not clomp down on Lucy's delicate feet.

"Stop being awkward!" Happy shouted as quietly as possible, in physical pain from watching the disorganized display. The duo soon enough lost the rhythm of the song thanks to Natsu being unable to keep the beat, and Lucy eventually halted him.

"Okay, you can dodge attacks in a fight like nobody's business, but come dancing and suddenly a simple sidestep counts as 'fancy footwork'."

"Hey, it's easier to move when your life is in danger," Natsu defended. "And it's not like I could really learn to dance…when you first started teaching me how to I got dragged away by dance demons Erza and Lisanna, remember?"

"Yes," Lucy mumbled flatly, recalling that she'd been left without a partner until Capricorn showed up. "But then we danced as that ball was ending…"

"And I nearly threw up on you thanks to the moving platform."

Natsu was pretty grumpy about it, but Lucy merely hummed, standing straight and readjusting their arms. He looked at her curiously as a mischievous smirk crossed her face.

"All right, in that case, _I'll_ lead. All you have to do is move with me, and I promise I won't whisk you around like some monster."

"That would be appreciated," Natsu chuckled, and Lucy began moving him along the dance floor. She placed one of his hands on her shoulder and put her hand on his, then latched their other two hands together and held them out to the side. She smiled as she carefully guided Natsu in a square-shape along the floor, going slowly at first but eventually matching the beat of the song.

"See? There you go…one, two, three; one, two, three…!" Lucy beamed at him. "You want to try spinning as we do it now? We can cover more ground that way."

"Okay," Natsu said quietly with a tiny smile, making Lucy giggle at how sweet he sounded. Lucy started small, only doing slight turns until Natsu got used to the feel of it, then started taking them in bigger strides, causing them to swoop across the dance floor like the other couples. She could see the traces of nervousness etched on his face as she glided around with him, but once he saw that she was comfortable, he relaxed a bit.

"You're really good at this Lucy," he observed in that quiet tone again, no longer having to watch his own two feet. "After two songs I already feel like an expert…!"

"Oh, it's really nothing; that was just the basic of the basics," she laughed nervously. "I…know a few more complicated dances, but this one is good enough for the occasion."

He looked so mystified. "There are _harder_ dances?! How'd you even learn all that stuff?"

"Oh, you know," Lucy said airily, letting go of Natsu briefly to wave her hand about. "Inaugural balls, important business dinner parties, celebrations for high positioned government officials… _suitor scoutings_ …"

Natsu widened his eyes. "Did you just say-?"

"Nope."

"You totally did! You said… _suitor scoutings_."

" _Only_ because they're what I unfortunately attended the most," Lucy groaned, not really relishing the memories. "My father decided it would be a good idea to start searching for potential candidates early, so that by the time I was eighteen, he'd already have a good 'selection' to pick from and could marry me off right away…so I had danced with and dated a bunch of people I _really_ didn't like. Nobody ever wanted anything from me other than my money or my body…or both."

Lucy didn't even need to look at Natsu to know he was pissed just at the very thought.

"I guess in the end he only wanted me to have a secure future, but he went about it in such a wrong way that I can't entirely justify it…"

"Who would expect you to justify that?! I mean, I know he's your father and really did love you despite everything, but…" His teeth were gnashed together, fangs jetting out angrily. "…you shouldn't be forced into a relationship like that."

"None of them ever lasted long; I managed to chase off quite few," Lucy admitted with a slight smirk, getting Natsu to crack a smile too. "Still, at the time, I got pretty worried that I wasn't going to be able to find someone that really loved me…"

The words hit Natsu like bricks, nearly causing him to stumble from their weight. But he maintained his posture as the two of them slowed into nothing more than a gradual sway of their hips. The hard look on his face showed that he was dying to say something, but he was unsure of whether or not to spit it out.

"Go for it, Natsu!" Happy practically whisper-screamed, at a volume that only Natsu was going to hear.

However, Natsu apparently ignored Happy as he became slightly hesitant and asked, "Is that why you're so insecure about romance and stuff…?"

Lucy squeaked as Happy slammed his face into his clipboard. The blonde winced to herself afterwards, but eventually turned away.

"So you've noticed, then."

"You're like the stories you write; most of it I can read pretty easily, and yet there are some parts that are really cryptic…"

She lightly smiled at his analogy, completely unaware of Happy silently screaming and telling Natsu to backpedal immediately. Natsu blissfully disregarded the blue cat.

"Well, I guess that's part of it," Lucy elaborated. "Anything I've ever had so far has always been one-sided. I was never really attracted to any of them, especially when I was never able to get to know them…and they never got to know me."

"I see…" Natsu trailed near audibly, poking his tongue in his cheek as he mulled over something. "So…can I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not…"

"Okay…" Happy trailed, skipping ahead a few pages. "We may still be on track…"

The dragon slayer was incredibly serious as he kept his gaze on Lucy, yet Lucy could faintly see him gulp.

"If you had the opportunity with anyone right now…would you want to be in a relationship?"

"…why do you want to know?" she asked airily, masking the fact that he'd immensely caught her off guard. Natsu could easily tell she was onto him though.

"Because I see and hear people tease you about it all the time. I know they don't mean anything by it, but you get so withdrawn afterwards," he continued, keeping his voice steady. "…but is that something you even want?"

Happy's jaw dropped and slammed right through the table and hit the ground.

"Natsu! That wasn't in the script…!"

Natsu thoroughly did his best to drown out Happy and focused everything on Lucy- this was a heavily important question, and he wasn't going to make another move until he got an answer.

"It's not like I've never thought about it before," Lucy confessed, turning a little red. Natsu's heart skipped a beat. "…but right now with how things are, I'm just not sure I'm completely ready for it."

"Okay," Natsu responded evenly enough and left it at that, hearing a bit of a faster paced song beginning to play. He surprised Lucy when he took the lead this time, using Lucy's moves from before and leaving her to use his. It wasn't nearly as smooth as when Lucy was leading, but she was still pleased that he demonstrated that he'd at least been paying attention, so she could forgive the rather rough transitions. She almost didn't even mind; the bold, unpredictable decisions were just like Natsu, and that was oddly comforting.

"…but whenever you do feel you're ready, you'll tell me right?" Natsu spoke up again, sounding a little less grave. "I can't let ya just wander off into the arms of some lame guy, can I? Especially if it's someone like the stripper."

" _Yes_ , because it's mandatory I maintain my reputation as a Love Rival," Lucy snorted her response. "…but I guess I'll let you know _if_ Levy, Mira, and Cana don't find out first-"

"Oh jeez, _please_ tell me first," Natsu practically gasped, knowing how quickly something like that could go bad were either one of those three found out before anyone else. "After all, _I'm_ your best friend. You have to gossip these things to me."

"Wha-? You're my best _guy_ friend! Things like that are more for…girl besties."

"Yeah, but _who_ is your best friend overaaaaall?"

Lucy sighed with a light smirk. "Somehow that's you, ya dork."

"Precisely! Thus, by the logic of friendship, you must tell me first, no exceptions."

"Mph, okay, I can't argue with the logic of friendship," Lucy giggled out, although Natsu caught the sincerity in her voice. She took the lead again and suddenly tugged Natsu around in sharp, quick steps. He told her there was no way he was going to able to keep up as she abruptly spun them, but she explained it was just like a battle- step forward, step backward, spin to dodge, slide to avoid the counter, and optionally duck. That made it click better for Natsu; after Lucy demonstrated a few times, he switched back, smirking as he copied her moves step for step at a decent pace and finished by gently leaning Lucy backwards. Lucy was stunned at first but soon enough it melted into approval.

"You always were a fast learner…"

He simpered. "Well, I try."

Natsu pulled Lucy back up until the two were chest to chest, just in time for the next slow song to start. Lucy was about to ask Natsu if he was done now but to her surprise he pulled her closer, just enough so there was only a few centimeters between them, Lucy could easily latch her arms behind his neck, and his hands could fall comfortably around her waist. She turned to him to ask another question, but once more he beat her out.

"This is okay too, right?"

"…it's a little more unconventional, but I don't mind," Lucy hummed, resting her chin on his shoulder. "You're an unconventional guy anyways."

"I hope that's a compliment…"

Lucy's melodic laugh was right next to his ear and he muffled some noise that wanted to escape. She wondered what the heck that was, but instead decided to focus on the dance. Natsu was holding her pretty securely, leaving her eyes to drift all across the dance floor, taking in some of the other pairs. Some looked rather grumpy, a lot of them looked nervous, but a few seemed to be actual couples. Light whispers of sweet nothings were exchanged from one another, discrete laughter followed, and innocent (or not so innocent) kisses clinched the deal. They all looked so happy…

Huh, must be nice.

"Aaaaaah…" Lucy suddenly whimpered, biting her lip and cursing herself for letting the moan slip out. Natsu tensed on the spot, fearing he'd crushed her foot again.

"Wh-what?"

"Eh, er, I almost said something kind of girly…you probably wouldn't be interested."

She tightened her arms around him, hoping he'd let it go, but of course this was Natsu. He rolled his eyes and groaned. "Well if you say it like that, of course I'm going to get curious!"

"Well it's your fault," Lucy murmured. "You got me started on all my unwanted suitors earlier, and now I'm thinking about how I'd like my first _real_ kiss to be with someone I actually care about…jerk."

They both went quiet, Lucy out of embarrassment and Natsu because he didn't know what to say. She seemed really saddened by that fact, if it wasn't already obvious that it was bothering her- especially since this went beyond the incident of the third night.

"So you've kissed people before…"

...he so hadn't meant for that to slip out _at all_ and he frantically wanted to take it back –stupid, stupid, stupid!- but Lucy answered without hesitance.

"Yeah, but none of them ever truly meant anything…" She glanced to the ground somewhat shamefully. "I kinda feel like it's a pointless gesture unless I'm into it..."

"Mm." Natsu's tongue was in his cheek again. "Is that why you didn't want to when Asuka asked…?"

"Oh my gosh! You're _still_ hung up on that?!"

" _You made me kiss a cat_."

Lucy recoiled slightly –along with Happy at his hiding spot- while becoming incredibly flustered. "Eyeah, well, you were going way too fast and rushing into it and making me nervous…! Plus the mood was all wrong-!"

"Is now a good mood?" Natsu suddenly asked in a low tone. Lucy's heart jumped into her throat then dropped straight down to her stomach before she could squeak out an answer.

"W-Well…I can say it's definitely a _better_ one…"

He gulped. "And…am I someone you care about?"

"… _yes_ , you are…"

At this point Happy frantically jumped out of the chip bowl and started shaking the nearest guy out of horrified anticipation along with internal panic, having caught the way Natsu gently licked his lips. That impulsive idiot...!

"So going by that logic…would _I_ be suitable for your first real kiss?"

"…technically yes," Lucy gasped out, trying not to look so out of breath. But how could she not be when he looked _so_ intense?! "Why…do you want to kiss me?"

" _Because he's madly in love with you!"_ Happy quietly shouted as hard as he could. It was all over Natsu's face- how could she not see that?! No, wait, how could he _not_ _say_ that?!

"Because at least this way, you'd be guaranteed to kiss someone you care about." He turned his head and grinned as widely as he could, Lucy in awe just at how sincere he was. "And everyone deserves that, no?"

"Natsu…"

"…but only if ya want to Luce," he finished with a coy shrug, returning to their waltz. "It was only a suggestion."

He was more than willing to relent on the subject and prepared to get back to dancing, but he was stopped by Lucy, who gripped tightly at his rolled up sleeves and prevented him from dancing away with her. Her resolve rooted them both to the spot as she gradually looked up at him, eyes sparkling from the lights shining down on them.

"…I think I'd be okay with that suggestion," she nearly whispered. Natsu did his best to keep his face from heating up.

Happy was pulling at his cheeks in anguish as Lucy started to lean in, her eyes falling close as she made her move. Natsu wasn't entirely sure what to do with his hands, as they were currently limp at his sides, but one eventually rested on her back and brought her closer while the other gingerly clasped the back of her head, aiming her lips to meet his as he too closed his eyes and got lost in the moment.

A slight tilt of Lucy's head deepened the kiss, leaving them in a lip lock. Lucy felt warmer than any kiss had ever made her feel before, and somewhat overwhelmed by it she slid her arms up over Natsu's shoulders and laced her fingers in his hair, earning muffled approval. He _loved_ that feeling, but he still didn't want to push the boundaries. Lingering just long enough to make sure he'd remember the rush she gave him, Natsu pulled away, eyes half-lidded, cheeks dusted pink, and chest heaving breathlessly. Lucy's eyes had fluttered open seconds later, widening with quiet surprise. He swallowed thickly.

"Did _that_ one…mean something?"

"Yes…it did." Lucy grabbed at her rapidly beating heart not for the first time that night, locking eyes with Natsu. "…have you been kissed before?"

"…N-No." Crap, he must've sucked thanks to his inexperience and now she was going to go back and gossip about how bad of a kisser he was-!

"Really?" She softly interrupted his racing thoughts, her tone only making him panic more. "That, honestly…was without a doubt the best kiss I've ever had."

Oh God.

"Um, Natsu-?"

Well, first his face had flushed straight down to his neck as he stared at her with a wonder-locked expression, and that all-encompassing warmth spread through his whole body until he was unable to contain it. Next thing they knew he'd burst into flames, still in his stunned state. Basically he'd become a human torch.

"A-are you _okay_ …?" Lucy questioned as she covered her mouth.

"Never better," he replied weakly, struggling to make the flames go away. Since when did he not have control like this?! "I'm all fired up, that's all…"

"I…I can see that…" she stammered, struggling to keep her twitching lips still. He gave her a warning look that said 'don't do it'; she broke out into harmonic laughter, which only caused the flames around Natsu to ignite even more. "I just kissed my best friend… _and he caught on fire_!"

"Stop it," Natsu whined, wanting to grab her but deciding that it probably wasn't the best idea. The light immediately left Lucy's face and gained a frown in its place.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Natsu, I didn't mean to-"

"No, seriously, _stop it_!" Natsu exclaimed, now flailing around in a flaming panic. "I can't put it out myself…!"

"What the…?" Lucy hummed in realization, failing to stifle the laughter again. "The day has come where the famed Salamander wants to _put out_ a fire!"

"LUCY-!"

The rest of the party had caught onto the fact that one of their own was currently burning alive –although completely fine- and someone had the bright idea to throw the entire punch bowl at him. Of course it had done the job and Natsu sighed in relief, cuing Lucy to laugh herself to tears. Natsu wasn't really sure what to think at this point, but there was still such a nice feeling in his chest that he couldn't help but dump what was left of the punch onto Lucy and laugh along too.

"Aw, man…" groaned Happy, now smacking his forehead on the leg of the snack table. The man he had near-strangled earlier asked him what was wrong. "Oh nothing, just that my best friend had a completely platonic kiss with the girl he was supposed to confess his love to and then thoroughly embarrassed himself afterward."

"Yikes…that's rough, buddy."

"Aye sir," Happy bemoaned, wondering how things were going to play out now. For the moment everything seemed fine with how hard the two of them were laughing –and getting the rest of the crowd to join them- and while Happy still felt like he wanted to pull all his fur out…he was feeling pretty good about things.

The kiss hadn't happened at all how Happy imagined it…but somehow it was still perfect.

. . .

Happy was heavily relieved that nothing was awkward between the two of them, the two dorks laughing and gushing over how awesome their vacation was and playfully hitting each other the whole way back to the hotel. Happy was _pretty_ sure the punch they were drenched with was spiked because they were acting drunk on the way up to their room, with Natsu stumbling around like a baby fawn and Lucy unable to stop giggling. But apparently that wasn't the case, seeing as they calmed down a little when some snobbish rich man scolded them for their rambunctious behavior. Natsu responded in kind by politely explaining that the man was just jealous that the two of them were having a far better time that he was.

Idiots.

Still, he couldn't help the smirk on his own face as Natsu and Lucy quickly packed away their belongings, knowing that they were going to have to leave bright and early in the morning. There was a healthy glow about Lucy as she joyously twirled around the room, practically a different person than the grump who was originally dragged to come here. Natsu's stupid grin was permanently plastered to his expression, unable to take his eyes off Lucy as she gleefully recounted all the wonderful things the vacation had brought for her. His cheeks were a constant shade of pink, but Lucy didn't take notice in the midst of her packing, eventually drifting towards the window and sighing about how she was going to miss the view.

"You can put the scene in your book," Natsu suggested, Lucy letting out an 'oomph' when he threw his arms around her neck from behind and shifted all his weight onto her. "Then every time you go back and read it, you'll have the picture in your head!"

"…that's actually really good idea," Lucy gasped eagerly. "I'll have to jot it down before going to bed tonight while I have the inspiration!"

She made a face first though.

"…except I really need a shower after _you_ dumped that punch all over me."

"Hey, it wasn't fair that _I_ was the only one being laughed at; I had to make it fair," Natsu stated airily, with Lucy groaning and hitting at his arm to make him let her go. "But eh, ya do stink."

"It's your fault!" she wailed, swatting at him even more. Natsu merely chuckled and snagged one of her wrists.

"Are ya gonna waste time using me as your personal punching bag or do you enjoy the elegant fragrance of fruit punch, ya weirdo?"

She puffed out her cheeks with a smile and told him he'd better shower after her –"Ladies first!"- before sashaying away, stretching her arms over her head as she disappeared into the bathroom. Natsu merely scratched his cheek as he flopped onto the bed.

"She certainly does like her showers…"

When the bathroom door closed shut, Natsu heaved a sigh he'd been holding in before blithely brushing his fingers against his lips, beaming at the sensational feeling of Lucy's lips that had once been against them. The scene he'd imagined back at the fireworks show? The real deal was _way_ better, and it sent a pleasant shudder coursing through him just by thinking about it.

He was contently enjoying his memory until Happy plunked down on his stomach, giving Natsu a serious look and putting his paws on his hips. Natsu already knew what Happy was going to say, but he let him get it out anyway.

"Why didn't you do it?"

"Happy, I-"

"It was the perfect moment, perfect set-up and everything…! You were actually being _smooth_ for once!"

"Insult acknowledged, but Happy-"

"I could see it in your eyes- you were _dying_ to tell her! You might as well have screaming 'I'm a huge dork in love with this beautiful creature in front of me and I don't know what to do with myself'!"

"Stop it," Natsu hissed, calming down and running his fingers through his hair. "…I know you were eavesdropping; she told me that she wasn't ready for a serious relationship, and I respect that."

"…but you still could have told her how _you_ felt…"

"I could have, but that would've put pressure on her," Natsu smiled to himself. "She's too nice of a person to outright reject me…and yet in a way, she already sort of did."

Happy frowned, reading the slight hurt in his eyes. It hadn't been a direct denial, but it was enough to discourage the dragon slayer a little. The cat folded his paws in front of him, now staring earnestly at his foster father.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Natsu shrugged as best as he could while lying down, folding his arms behind his head as he gazed longingly at the ceiling.

"Wait for her, I guess. I'm not falling in love with anyone else anytime soon, and she promised she would tell me when she was ready for a relationship…" He broke out into a grin. "And as a Celestial Wizard, she can't break a promise."

"Aw Natsu…" Happy mewled, poking his paws together at that wistful smile. "…aren't you…disappointed?"

"Of course." Happy's heart bleed for his friend, yet it was Natsu that was giving the cat a sympathy look. "But how can I be sad about it? I had an amazing time with her, I made her happy again, and I even got to kiss her! I wouldn't have even been able to _get_ this far without your help…so thanks, Happy."

"Aye sir," Happy chortled, folding his arms. _"Someone_ has to keep you from making a _complete_ fool of yourself…"

Natsu chuckled and pulled Happy into a brief and meaningful hug before falling backwards once again with a contented sigh. Happy stayed where he was and only shook his head at the crazy dragon slayer currently wearing a lovesick smile. He hadn't gotten the girl like Happy (and everyone else) had wanted him to…but against all odds, he was still impossibly happy anyway.

And thus, Happy was too.


	10. Bonus Day 2: Cold

**I have never written and rewritten a chapter so many times...forgive me for possible quality drops...**

 **Anyway, woot, finally done! Didn't take me weeks on end to finish like Angst Week, so yay! I've had a lot of fun participating in NaLu Week, and it thrills me beyond belief to know you've enjoyed this (especially because I'm still new to writing romance stories...)! I hope you like this final part!**

 **(And if you're interested in a possible sequel _somewhere_ down the line, lemme know! I have an idea! :3)**

* * *

 **~Lucky Summer~**  
 _Bonus Day 2: Cold_

 _ **July 8th-**_

" _Did that one…mean something?"_

Five little words that locked Lucy's mind into a state of blissful confusion and confused bliss through the rather lengthy night and well into the morning after. Five words that kept her heart thrumming several hours after they had been spoken, kept her unable to stand still as she descended down the glass elevator for the last time, kept her steps shaky as she walked out of the hotel for a final time, and made her breaths heavy and somewhat winded even as she hopped on the train to head home.

She'd been staring out the window daydreaming about her past week, and she was a little ambivalent upon leaving the Azalea Resort. Lucy knew she'd had her fill of paradise and that it was finally time to go home, but she hated leaving all those good times behind. Sure there had been a few precarious bits, but that just made the better moments shine brighter. Her lips twitched as she fought a smile, watching as the speeding landscape outside the train gradually drew closer to Magnolia. She had a feeling it would be back to the grind for her, but for whatever reason, she wasn't nearly as worked up about it as she would have been a month ago.

Maybe because _that kiss_ kept snaking its way into her mind.

Lucy squeaked when she felt something heavy abruptly plunk into her lap, yanking her straight out of her thoughts. She was more than prepared to shove it off…until she realized it was just a sick-faced Natsu.

"Naaargh…you don't mind, do ya Luce?" he asked wearily, tone drenched in misery thanks to the churning pain in his belly. The dragon slayer tried rubbing at his stomach to soothe the nausea, but he only let out a distressed moan instead. Lucy's brown gaze met his onyx one as he stared pleadingly at her; she eventually gave him a gentle nod. Natsu's face lit up in a way that sent tingles coursing through her.

"Thanks a million, Lucy," he mumbled softly, falling asleep all too soon with a much more placid look on his face now that he was in the comfort of Lucy. As he slept, he looked so ridiculously content with himself, probably dreaming about food or something, if his now grumbling stomach was any indication. Lucy rolled her eyes, biting back her giggle to avoid stirring the dragon slayer. She did smirk when she caught Happy also snoozing away in the opposite seat, blissfully snuggling into plushy Igneel. It was almost like they were just returning from a job –like she'd originally been told they were going to- rather than a vacation getaway…

She thought that things would be awkward between her and Natsu now –because you _don't_ just up and kiss your best friend!- but that wasn't the case. Natsu was still flitting around like his usual dorky, zany, loveable self afterwards, and even stranger, she herself was bizarrely happier too. Plus, it only amplified her need to be around Natsu more…and that _couldn't_ be a coincidence.

When people first teased her about having a crush on Natsu, she had always nervously laughed them off, and after more than one false alarm with him, Lucy quit entertaining the idea of ever being with him _like that_. She instead filled her thoughts of fancy with notions of how people normally found someone to date- a happenstance encounter of a cute person at a store, meeting a charismatic individual at a party, discovering a common interest with someone and going from there...nice and smooth transitions into something more. With Natsu it had been like getting hit with fully-loaded trains, one after another, and then being violently lit on fire.

And now, that wasn't really a bad thing.

Kissing Natsu hadn't been quite the nerve-wracking experience she had built up in her head, but it evaded her expectations in other ways. Too many times had Lucy been forced to indulge in smooches that were dull, lifeless, and pitifully empty, thus she hadn't expected anything extraordinary from Natsu- especially since he only offered more as a favor than anything. She agreed to it because he'd been right- the mood _was_ perfect, he _was_ someone she cared deeply about, and if she had to pick a person to have a meaningful kiss with, it would be Natsu. It always had been…

She never would have anticipated actually _getting_ one.

Hot damn she was lucky Natsu had a solid grip on her at the time, because she was pretty sure she would have melted straight onto the dance floor into an unrecognizable blonde puddle otherwise. She didn't know a kiss could be _so electrifying_! She _had_ to ask Natsu if he had any prior experience to hopefully explain why that kiss had been _so good_ , but that had been his very first kiss _ever_ …so what had been the secret?!

The questions continued to pile on one by one: What did he do or say or have that set him apart from the rest? What about _him_ had made it so enjoyable? Why did it make her heart pump so fast like it was one unremitting beat? Why did it fill her with such an powerful warmth, so that when the next day rolled around, it left behind a cold sensation that insatiably craved for more?

…why did it make her feel like she was loved?

She inhaled deeply as she thought back to her conversation with Loke on the Ferris Wheel; could it be that while she wasn't looking she had fallen for the loveable fool with the ferocity of a dragon currently snoozing without a care in her lap? Somewhere, somehow, between the throes of many life and death adventures, had the famed dragon slayer set her heart ablaze along with the ashes of his adversaries?

"Jeez…I'm dipping into my purple-prose again," groaned Lucy with a giggle, reaching into her handbag and pulling out the portrait they'd received on their first day of vacation, having kept it close to keep it safe. Again she admired that unabashed cheer that filled Happy's face, like he was thrilled to just be alive, and she admired the way Natsu was coolly leaned back, a bit of surprise still sprinkled on his expression, but it was overshadowed by the way he was slightly glancing at her, that sentimental grin saying all it needed to. And she, with both of them in her embrace, never looked happier.

There was just something inexplicably perfect about the scene.

As she noticed that her fingers had magically woven their way into Natsu's spiky soft locks and earned a pleased sigh from him, she realized that _just maybe_ there was a reason why she felt the way she did.

And she wanted to cry from joy at the realization.

 _ **July 9th-**_

When Lucy awoke the next morning –as they returned to Magnolia late last night and planned to go to the guild after a night's rest- she was almost a little disappointed at how cold she was, given that a week of slumbering next to Natsu left her a little addicted to his perfect body temperature. But her lack of warmth was not what woke her up; it was the worried blue cat bouncing on her bed.

"Lushi, Lushi, you've gotta get up..!"

"H-Happy?" the still sleepy Lucy stuttered, her first sight of the day being a very blurry Exceed. She hardly had the chance to blink the lingering tiredness out of her eyes before Happy cannonballed onto her stomach, earning an unceremonious "Oomph" out of her.

"Natsu wasn't in his hammock this morning, so I thought I'd come check here first, naturally…" he mewled, sadly hanging his head as he jumped straight to the point. "…but if he's not with you, that means he went to guild without us!"

"O-Okay, what's wrong with that? Lucy yawned, sitting up and holding Happy in her arms. She failed to understand why the cat looked so dreadfully worried until his tail started twitching.

"You remember how Natsu said the guild helped pulled off the vacation for you?" Lucy nodded slowly, wondering where Happy was going with this. "…well he owed them something in return, but he didn't keep up his end of the deal, and now they're going to _punish him_ …!"

"Didn't keep his word…?" Lucy echoed, eyebrows knitting together perplexedly. "That doesn't sound like Natsu at all! What would possibly cause him to skimp out like that?"

"Did you not hear me, woman?! PUNISHMENT!" screeched Happy, clutching Lucy's shirt and shaking her out of her pondering. "That's a brave man that walked through those doors, Lucy…remember him as he was, okay? And please, do it fondly-"

"What are you going _on_ about?!" Lucy cried, immediately grabbing Happy and holding him up by his backpack. "Wh-what exactly did he even _do_ …?!"

Happy stopped lamenting long enough to give Lucy a bittersweet and knowing smile, sadly shaking his head.

"It's what he _didn't_ do, actually."

. . .

Lucy had practically jumped into her clothes before bolting out the door, Happy offering to carry her this one time because it was an emergency. They soared down Strawberry Street and flew between buildings to take the fastest possible route to Fairy Tail, with Happy constantly griping over "never seeing Natsu in one piece again" and Lucy still wanting to get to the bottom of everything. The moment they reached the doors, Happy dropped Lucy, and the Celestial Wizard instantly kicked them open, expecting to walk straight into chaos itself.

But no- everything was _eerily_ too normal. Lisanna was running the bar while Mirajane and Kinana attended to a few mages wanting to take on jobs, Nab was still lingering at the request board, Juvia was fawning over Gray, Erza was scolding Gajeel for eating the silverware again, and the only ones who'd even noticed Lucy's arrival were Levy and Wendy, who had Pantherlily and Carla in their arms respectively.

"Lu-chan, it's so good to see you!" exclaimed Levy almost too excitedly, throwing herself into her best friend's arms. Lily somehow ended up mashed between them during the embrace. "Has it really just been a week?! It feels like way more, and you look _so refreshed_! Are you sure it hasn't been months?!"

"I'm positive, Levy- and I missed you too," Lucy laughed as Levy placed a hand on her hip.

"Soooo? How'd it go?"

"It was _amazing_!" gushed Lucy, squeezing a slightly grinning Happy. "It was everything I could have asked for and more! It was so beautiful there, and there was so much to do, but above all else it was just so much fun…and I'm never going to forget it."

"Gee, hearing that makes me wish a dragon slayer would drop everything and take _me_ on a holiday when I'm feeling stressed…" Levy sighed, sliding a glance over at the still being reprimanded Gajeel, which earned a smirk out of Lily. Lucy then turned her attention to Wendy, placing a hand on her head.

"And how have you been, Wendy? Did you keep busy?"

"Absolutely!" Wendy exclaimed, beaming proudly. "I went on some really tough jobs with Gray and Erza, and while it was pretty engaging…it wasn't the same without you and Natsu-san."

"I'd frankly hate to admit that it was rather peaceful without Natsu and Happy," Carla added haughtily, with Happy faintly grabbing at his heart. "…but just the same, it could hardly be counted as a true team mission without your presence."

"I knew that someday your heart would pine for me if you should ever find yourself without me!" exclaimed Happy, flying over to hold Carla's paw in his. Before Carla had an opportunity to bite his head off, Happy shook himself out of his daze and instead went to violently shake Pantherlily. "No, there's no time for me to be infatuated! Where is Natsu?! Tell me, now!"

Levy and Wendy immediately balked as they exchanged a look, with Carla looking indifferent and Lily demanding the shaking to stop. Lucy stared at all four of them incredulously until Lily had regained enough breath to explain.

"…well, he _was_ here," Pantherlily coughed, really not wanting to be the one to explain. "…but none of us have seen him since Erza, Gray, Mira, Cana, Gajeel, and the Master brought him to the back saying that his 'hour had come'-"

"Oh my Mavis…we're too late!" screamed Happy, falling to the floor with a devastated blue aura surrounding him. "He…HE'S DEAAAAAAD!"

"That's right…they all went in…but only Natsu didn't come back," Lily added creepily, waving his paws around for dramatic effect. Levy gave the black cat a scolding look for embellishing the facts while Happy nearly had another heart attack. Wendy noticed the pondering look on Lucy's face and carefully tugged the blonde's sleeve.

"Hey, um…if you want to know what happened with Natsu, I'd probably ask Mira," she stated quietly. "I don't think Gray and Gajeel would be too helpful, and Erza and Cana…are probably going to pester you…"

"You're probably right," Lucy deadpanned, making her way over to the bar and leaving Happy to mope over what was probably nothing. Thankfully Erza and Gajeel remained preoccupied, Makarov and Cana were both ridiculously drunk despite that it wasn't even noon yet, which only left her with Gray and Mirajane to confront. She pulled up a seat next to Gray, who grinned upon seeing her (throwing Juvia in a silent fury next to him) as Mirajane was at her side in a heartbeat.

"Oh Lucy, you're practically glowing…! You must have an amazing past week!" Mirajane gushed, hugging the blonde very thoroughly.

"And before I forget, happy belated birthday," Gray added, raising a glass of ice water as a toast. "I can tell it was a good one."

"It was…" Lucy replied shyly, which made Mirajane eagerly squeal.

"Ooh, that's such wonderful news!" she cheered, clasping her hands together. "Natsu didn't give you too much trouble, did he…?"

"Not any more than normal." Lucy started wringing her wrists together under the counter. There was no way she could go into specific detail about what went down- what happens at Azalea Resort stays in Azalea Resort! "Honestly I've never had more fun in my life and it's all thanks to him…"

"But he really didn't do anything out of the…ordinary?" Gray asked, and knowing it was a baited question Lucy reddened.

"Er, ah, that depends…did he _tell_ you anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, and Juvia is _very_ disappointed," chirped the Water Mage on the other side of Gray. Mirajane and Gray traded glances; Lucy grimaced and slammed her fists on the counter.

"For Pete's sake I know about the deal! Whatever it was, apparently he didn't keep up his end of the bargain. Happy told me; he just didn't give me specifics…"

"Oh dear," remarked Mirajane, resting her cheek on her palm. "Well, you see…er, um, Gray? Would you like to pick up here?"

"Not entirely-" Gray began until Mirajane sent a demonic glare his way. He yelped and put up his hands. "O-Okay, obviously Lucy, that crazy flame spewer had a snowball's chance in hell of successfully taking you on vacation without any outside help, so everyone in the guild pitched in, and he had one job to do for us in return, but didn't do it."

"Of course, with something like what we agreed to, we figured there had to be a reason for it, but he refused to tell us- something about it 'not being his place to say and to lay off all you bastards'…?" Mirajane shrugged before smiling sadly. "Of course the Master and Erza insisted he serve his punishment, but all our ideas were a little…extreme…"

"Gajeel suggested I don't know how many forms of torture, and I just wanted to freeze him in a block of ice for a day and throw things at him," Gray murmured aloofly. However, he grew concerned while glancing at Lucy out of the corner of his eye. "…but the guy looked so _miserable_ already that no one really wanted to do anything to him. Jeez, what'd you do Lucy?"

"I-I didn't do anything!" exclaimed the blonde. "He was absolutely fine all the way home, but then he came here without Happy or I and…well, where _is_ he?! I need to talk to him!"

"Ah, well, since no one had any idea what to do with him, we sort of locked him in one of the back rooms until we came up with something…and then we all kinda forgot…" Mirajane laughed nervously, with Lucy gaping at her. However, the She-Devil snapped her fingers and gained a giddy look. "Oooooh! But now I've got it! You want to talk to Natsu, Lucy? Then let's go!"

Lucy wasn't given time to object- Mirajane and Gray instantly hooked her by the arms and whisked her down the back hall, not stopping until they reached the wide door at the end. As they drew closer Lucy could hear a certain someone's enraged shouts, which were basically nothing but a string of profanities.

"You know I could break down this damn door anytime I want to, right?! Well, except Erza would probably stab me for property damage, so…b-but OI! Someone get in here and FIGHT ME or else when I get out I'm kicking that ice stripper's ass to the moon and back and-"

"As you can see he's not particularly happy, but that moron could've left at any time," Gray deadpanned. "The fact that he hasn't means he doesn't want to…"

Lucy was silent while continuing to listen to Natsu ranting and raving, watching as Mirajane and Gray both put a hand on the handle and traded a nod. Lucy didn't like the look of that at all…

"C'mon! Do your absolute worst; I ain't weak! _I can take anything you throw at me_!"

They proceeded to hurl Lucy rather unceremoniously into the room.

"…okay, anything but that!"

Lucy groaned as she picked herself up off the floor–she couldn't believe they'd just tossed her in like a sack of potatoes- and proceeded to glower at Natsu, who currently had the expression of a cornered animal.

"Just tell her, Natsu! That'll be your punishment, and then we'll let you out!" Mirajane sang, abruptly shutting the door close behind her. "But Lucy's free to leave whenever she wants, because it's kinda unfair that we threw her in there like that…"

"I was just doin' what I was told," Gray's gruff voice came next, but nothing followed after that, leaving Lucy one hundred percent alone in a frigid cold and rather dark room with Natsu, whose raving anger from before had boiled away and was replaced by a more forlorn disposition. He couldn't take the wide look in Lucy's eyes for very long before scooting himself across the floor until he hit a wall, leaning his back against it and awaiting her pressing questions.

She didn't waste any time.

"Ohayo, Luce-"

"Natsu, what the heck is going on?! This is _not_ what I wanted to come home to!"

"Neither did I," groaned Natsu, yet Lucy's stare made him gulp. "O-oi, calm down! You heard Mira- you can just leave, and then I'll take the rap from the guild and get this mess over with…"

"Huh?" The confusion in her tone was thick, although her irritation died immediately. "Did we do something wrong…?"

Natsu actually laughed at this point –the sound coming off as strangled and forced more than anything- before he tenderly smiled in her direction. "Nah, you're fine. _You_ just got caught up in me being a coward."

Lucy was still horribly confused, but seeing as Natsu had snapped his mouth shut for a moment, she knew he was going to need a bit of coaxing. She managed to piece together that there was something he was supposed to have told her, and it took every inch of her to not go overboard with potential theories. She was going to get to the bottom of this _now_.

"You're not a coward! If anything, you're almost too brave, diving head first into everything and completely forgoing the consequences without a second thought." Lucy leaned up against the wall before carefully sliding to the floor, dropping down next to him. "…why would you even think that?"

"Maybe it's because I've found the one thing I can't just blindly dive head first into…" His bangs fell into his face, leaving Lucy unable to read his expression. "…and I really wish I could."

Lucy fists her hands in her lap as her suspicions about Natsu began to grow –because she was learning just what Gray had been talking about- but she didn't know how to go about it. She carefully eyed his slightly slumped form and hidden face…and without a doubt, he needed his boundless energy back.

"You took me on vacation to cheer _me_ up. Now we're home and I've never felt better, but _you_ are acting all discouraged." She poked his cheek; he made a face. "But if I think about it, you _have_ been acting pretty weird lately."

"What do you mean?" he replied quickly and flatly, making Lucy point accusingly at him.

"Th-That! You've been so dodgy about your intentions all week, and you're still clearly bothered!" Her lip quivered as it pulled into a frown. "I'm getting a little worried…"

Natsu's eyes softened at her grimace, his body sagging even lower.

"…I'm sorry."

"Don't be _sorry_ ; just let me help you, please." She felt him become rigidly still when she draped her arm across his back. "You can tell me anything, you know."

He brushed his bangs away just enough to leer at her with a cautious look. "Can I really tell you anything?"

"Of course." Lucy's smile was warm. "I already told you that there's very little you could do to make me hate you. So come on; why are you lacking your usual confidence?"

Natsu was quiet for the longest time, making Lucy wonder if she was pushing him too far…and yet he'd been so open after the transformation incident. Then again, he _did_ have an entire day to mull over it…maybe he just wasn't ready to share yet.

"…sorry Natsu, I didn't meant to pry. I don't know what's going on between you and the guild, but I'll drop it if you-"

She had risen to get up and leave him be, but this time he had grabbed her hand, barely even looking at her as he obstinately kept his grip. His hand was trembling just the tiniest bit, every little shake sending goosebumps up her arm.

"It's because I've never felt this way before and I really dunno what to do," he muttered desolately, answering her earlier question. Lucy's breath caught in her throat, and she was almost unable to get her next words out.

"…what are you saying?"

Natsu just shook his head, not letting go of her hand. "You know I'm not good with words, Lucy. Trying to explain my thoughts would end up as messy as my bedroom."

"Oh man," Lucy snickered against her will, finally getting a fresh smile out of Natsu. She could see his resolve coming back a little, evident with the determined spark in his eyes. That was the Natsu she knew, and she could tell that he was visibly trying; he really was.

"I really want to tell you Luce, but I'm not fully convinced the one and only risk is worth it…"

Lucy's tone lowered as she gradually returned to the floor. "…well, what's at risk?"

Electricity shot through her veins when his head turned sharply to face her, his dark gaze cutting straight into her brown one.

"You."

Lucy's lips pulled into a thin line under Natsu's unwavering gaze; he looked _so_ conflicted, torn between pouring his heart out all at once or keeping his mouth shut to prevent himself from crossing the point of no return. He was always so good at that- saying everything he needed to while simultaneously keeping the most important things under wraps. He didn't necessarily hide anything; he simply chose not to let anyone know about what he kept deep inside.

Yet with the way he was _still_ holding her hand, Lucy knew precisely what he was dying -not- to say.

So, she said it for him.

"You're in love with me, aren't you?"

She held her breath afterwards, terrified that she may have been gravely wrong, but when the temperature in the once cold room skyrocketed, she had a sneaking feeling that it was just the opposite.

" _Wh-who told you?!"_ Natsu stammered, his voice gaining a few octaves as his hands clasped around her shoulders, suddenly finding herself rammed against the wall. She lightly winced. "Was it that traitor Happy?! No, I bet it was that droopy-eyed son of a pervert, or Mirajane cuz she was pissed about her 'OTP', or Erza-!"

Lucy wanted to smack her forehead. "The fact that you didn't immediately rise to deny the claim means _you_ just told me."

Natsu blinked in confusion, then narrowed his eyes at her. "Nuh uh. No it didn't."

"Natsu-!"

"NO IT DIDN'T!"

"Then tell me it's not _true_ , you idiot!" Lucy shot back, appalled at his desperately adamant insistence. Natsu's fury melted into horror.

"You…do you not want it to be true…?"

Lucy felt her face pink up. "Th-that wasn't the question! I just need to know if I'm right…"

She expected more of a violent fight out of Natsu, or even for him to lose it and snap at her, but instead she gritted her teeth against how tautly he was gripping her, staring at her with a heart-wrenching gaze.

Until he freaked out.

"…WAAAAAAAH! That's not _fair_ , Lucy!" Natsu's hands flew from her to viciously tug his hair, not looking the slightest bit composed. "It wasn't supposed to happen like _this_ …!"

"Wait, what…?" Lucy managed to break through his mini-tantrum. "Why is it not fair?"

"B-Because, there no way I could deny something as true as that..." he murmured lowly, casting his gaze away from her. "Whenever people even _hint_ at that, I can't disagree, so I just stay quiet…because how could I ever deny how I feel about you?"

Lucy's mind was rolling at the swift shift in the conversation; her breathing also dangerously erratic at the lopsided smile Natsu suddenly gained.

"If you really want to hear it from me…then all right." His face contorted just under the surface of his expression. "I didn't plan on telling you like this and I really should've done it earlier, but I should get it off my chest and just deal with whatever comes."

Time seemed to warp for Lucy; everything was slogging by in eternal seconds when instead it was all coming at her so fast. The only thing keeping her rooted in solid reality was when she felt her hands being seized with that gently firm grip of his.

"I…I care about you so much…and not just as my best friend or partner or mere nakama either…no one before has made me feel like this…"

He promptly squeezed his eyes shut, as though he didn't want to see what was coming next.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same way, and I really still want to be friends no matter what…" She saw the way he harshly swallowed; it gave her unexpected chills. "…but I love you Lucy, and I can't help but be all fired up about ya."

 _I love you._

He said it like he was almost _guilty_ about it, but never before had she heard those three words aimed at her with such brutal sincerity.

She always imagined love confessions as scenes that oozed with passion and unfiltered emotion; one of those moments that could be described with hundreds of flowery words that left people feeling warm and tender afterwards and painted a beautiful scene in their mind in the process. She always expected one of the decorated scenarios she wove into her many stories and dreamt up some for herself, secretly fearing the disappointment of a love confession that didn't live up to her hopes. She'd built walls that shielded her from potential romances and protected her against sugar-coated lies…

So it was a really good thing Natsu was amazing at destroying whole buildings, because he'd somehow found a way to kick and punch straight through her walls and right to her heart, without the need for big words or fanciful gifts or a dramatic backdrop to accentuate the moment…he hadn't needed to worry so much…

He just needed to be himself, and he just needed to mean every word he said…and Lucy knew that he did.

"Y-you…you really do love me…" Lucy stuttered out, her barely coherent sentence mangled by her buzzing thoughts. Natsu merely gave her an uncharacteristically quiet nod, cracking an eye open to carefully assess her reaction.

"Yeah." He was trying his best not to make his lip bleed with how hard he was biting it, but it was near impossible with such refined canines. "I dunno precisely when it started…but whenever I try to figure it out, I just can't think of a time when you didn't make me happier than I was before…except when you Lucy Kick me. I swear you leave internal bruises, woman."

Natsu tried to lighten the mood a little with a tiny smile, but Lucy's stare was resting solely on him, heavy with full-on realization.

"You've felt that way…for a while then…" Lucy choked out a giggle from the newfound awareness before frowning slightly. "Oh my gosh Natsu…I feel so _blind_ now! Now that you've said it, it seems so obvious…"

"Oi! It wasn't _that_ obvious," grunted Natsu, reddening slightly upon recalling how easily the guild had managed to peg him.

"S-so why…haven't you told me before?"

"Aside from the fact it feels like someone's out to kill us every weekend and we have to stop them, I had a hunch you didn't really think of me the same way. I meant to officially tell you yesterday too, but there would've been a lot of pressure on you." Natsu shrugged nonchalantly before slumping his shoulders. "You said that you weren't ready for a relationship, so I didn't wanna force anything, and I still don't. I'm honestly fine just being your friend if you'll let me."

Lucy's heartstrings had just about snapped at this point.

"Oh, Natsu," Lucy sighed, leaning over him to cradle his cheek in her marked hand. She could feel the heat rising to his face just at her touch. "…you know, the real reason I said I wasn't ready for a relationship was because I wasn't sure…how I felt about the person I was interested in."

" _Oh."_ Natsu said, resembling a deflated balloon with his crestfallen expression. The devastated sound made tears gather in Lucy's eyes.

"…but after this amazingly life-changing week, I think I definitely know now."

Natsu quietly hoped to the powers above that Lucy would at the very least _not leave him_ , so imagine his surprise when she instead brought her lips to his with such loving intent. His eyes shot impossibly wide open as the definitely _not_ platonic kiss fueled a raging fire in his belly, ignited by nothing short of pure joy at not being rejected. Lucy squeaked a muffled gasp when she was suddenly crushed against Natsu's torso, spontaneously embraced with fervent passion that chased away that cold feeling within her and returned the warmth tenfold.

He refused to let her go until the need for air forced them apart, him gasping a little more than she was with Lucy irresistibly giggling at the sound. Natsu brought his head back up to catch the shining smile on her face as she candidly laughed, and never had there been a more wonderful sight.

She…she had returned his feelings?! She loved him back, even after everything?!

That perfect smile on her face was too much; he broke out laughing too, cheeks an alarming red, and ignited himself in a blazing glory of glee.

"Oh please tell me you're not going to do that every time we kiss now, are you?" she questioned playfully while giving him a pointed look, now staving off giggles.

"I-I'm…overwhelmed…and relived…" he murmured robotically before his face lit up again. He was so excited by what she'd implied that he couldn't even talk straight. "Hey, wait, you- and I- but you-bwaaah-?"

"I'm still a little unsure about a lot of this, but…this is new to you too." Lucy tucked her now very messed up hair behind her ears as her pale cheeks gained a few shades of pink. Natsu's fire burned brighter. "…the way I see it, the only way to get used to being in a relationship is to just give it a try. It'll be like an adventure…and we can do it together!"

Natsu successfully managed to calm his flames down this time, nodding eagerly as he practically tackled her in a hug. "I'd like that…"

They embraced each other for the longest time, Lucy reveling at how _warm_ he was –it really was addicting, wasn't it? Then again he _had_ just been on fire…

"You feel nice," Natsu stated in the most basic way possible, earning a hum from Lucy. He then frowned and pulled away slightly. "Anyway, sorry that I didn't have a more romantic place for my confession. Definitely didn't have a dark, dank, and cold sealed off empty room in mind, but I couldn't work up the nerve until you kinda shoved me over the edge…"

"Pah, I don't care about that! I'm just glad it all worked out!" Lucy beamed ecstatically. "Besides, our first kiss was plenty romantic, so any that follow after that don't need some sort of 'pizzazz'…unless you _want_ pizzazz."

Natsu gritted his teeth and tried to will away the blush on his face. "Just don't make me set myself on fire again, okay? It's getting embarrassing…"

"No promises," simpered the blonde, rising to her feet to help Natsu up. Natsu chuckled before grimacing in the door's direction, having picked up irritated voices directly on the other side. Lucy immediately sensed his discomfort and tilted her head.

"Er, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, but, ah…it'd be best to stand behind me. Erza's going to kill me for this…"

Lucy blinked and straightaway took a few steps back from him, observing the wicked sneer consuming his face as his arms became coated in flames. He lifted them high over his head, the fire leaving a trail along the path it followed, before he crossed his arms in front of him with a bellowing shout.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

The door was turned to char within seconds, and thus no longer able to support the weight of all the people currently trying to press their ears up against it. Gray, Juvia, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Gajeel, Pantherlily, Levy, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Cana, and even Makarov had been shamelessly trying to eavesdrop on the _one door_ …and even Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow had apparently been hanging around not too far away…with Macao, Wakaba, Romeo, Bisca, Alzack, Asuka, Max, Laki, Warren, and Nab trying to be inconspicuous in the background…

Jeez, no one had a private life while in Fairy Tail…!

"Yeah, okay, force the entire _guild_ against the door why don't ya?!" Natsu hollered, shaking his fists at the groaning crowd on the floor. Most of them snickered in response; the rest grunted in pain.

"Well, you were 'being punished' so long that we assumed you were doing something a little more _interactive_ ," chortled Cana, waving her beer bottle around suggestively.

Lucy blushed on the spot and started to protest, until she heard Natsu chuckle "Oh? Something like _this_?" and found her feet abruptly being swept from under her, her head being dipped downwards, and Natsu going in for another steamy kiss.

Needless to say, Laxus' group had seen enough and went running for the hills while the observers still at the tables immediately turned around and decided they were done with watching- except Asuka, who was cheering wildly until her parents hastily covered her eyes. Mirajane let out a scream before fainting, Elfman shouted something manly, Lisanna and Levy squealed at the top of their lungs, Makarov grumbled something about 'kids these days', Erza turned away with a heavily red face, Gajeel was shaking his head with a dropped jaw, Wendy had no idea what was happening as Carla hid the sight from her view, and Gray was laughing purely from the disbelief of it all.

When Natsu was done putting on a show, he spun Lucy back up and grinned cheekily at her; she groaned and pounded her little fists into his torso.

"Idiot! Don't just up and _do_ that…in front of people no less…sheesh…"

"Didn't hear ya complaining," Natsu simpered smugly, earing another round of chest-punching along with a deeper blush from Lucy.

Before anyone else could really register what had gone down, a ball of blue suddenly whizzed through the air, tears flying out of his eyes as he zipped through the crowd and battled his way into the room.

"NATSUUUU! LUUUUSHI!"

Somehow Happy managed to plow his way into both their arms at the same time, immediately turning to face Lucy as soon as he had stopped flying.

"I-I couldn't see or hear through that three-ring circus over there! Oh please tell me that you didn't take Natsu's feelings and stomp all over them like rotten fish!"

Natsu gave Happy a bewildered look as a vein popped out of Lucy's forehead.

"Darn it, cat, I'm not that mean-!"

"Waaaah, scary Lucy~! …but that's good that ya didn't cuz Natsu's been bellyaching over you for _months_ and the last thing I need is him drowning in a pool of his own tears because the smart, beautiful, and talented girl he rants about rejected him-!"

"OI HAPPY! Who do you think I am, _Juvia?!_ …I meant no offense, Juvia."

"None taken, Natsu-san!" Juvia called from the bottom of the wizard pile, happily enjoying her time on top of a grimacing Gray.

Natsu continued exasperating at his cat while fighting the inner urge to strangle the taunting Exceed, until Lucy howled in laughter at their antics and eventually grabbed Natsu's rapidly gesturing hand, bringing it down and giving it a reassuring squeeze. He gulped down the next biting remark he was about to throw Happy's way, watching carefully as Lucy put a hand between the cat's ears and petted him affectionately.

"Well you know Happy…love is something that takes time, and it takes work…" Her eyes shimmered as she glanced at her boyfriend, a tiny smile creasing her cheeks. "…and I'm willing put in both for Natsu."

Natsu's latest widespread grin forced his eyes shut as he showcased his fangs, and Happy exploded into the air, lifting a triumphant paw above his head and shouting "AYE SIR!" as the guild fully poured into the room with a resounding applause and various excited shouts.

"About freaking time, you guys!" chirped Gray, looking genuinely happy as he slung his arms over both Natsu and Lucy's shoulders.

"Yeah, taking care of business like real man!" shouted Elfman.

"Aaaaah, yes, I always knew it!" shrieked Mirajane, giddily clapping her hands together. "I'm so thrilled I could cry…!"

"This is more chaos than when we got together, eh Al?" chuckled Bisca, with Alzack nodding in agreement. Asuka gleefully bounced in his arms.

"Yaaay! That means Natsu and Lucy will kiss aaaaaall the time like Mommy and Daddy!"

"And here I was thinking it'd be a drunken confession," smirked Cana, sipping at her wine. "Congrats for being sober, guys!"

"Lu, I'm so happy for you! This is so exciting!" gushed Levy. Lisanna nodded eagerly and folded her arms in front of her.

"Yes, I'm happy for you both as well! You're going to be such a cute couple! Scratch that- you already are!"

"Juvia is happy she no longer has a Love Rival for Gray-sama," beamed the Water Mage, with Lucy rolling her eyes. "But she wishes you the very best just the same! It's fantastic!"

"Geez, now maybe Salamander will calm himself a little." Gajeel had on a wicked grin as he folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Plan on making her yer mate anytime soon-?"

Lucy gave Natsu a questioning look; Natsu's whole body turned red as he started spouting various things at Gajeel that only made the Iron Dragon Slayer release his trademark snicker. Wendy pointedly looked a little red herself as she congratulated the duo, while Carla quietly wondered what Lucy had been thinking until Happy slid up to her.

"Does all this romance make _you_ feel anything, my sweet?"

Similar compliments arose from everyone, Lucy smiling warmly while Natsu stood there stunned, surprised that he wasn't being bombarded with crass comments or relentless teasing. He was forcibly pulled into Erza shortly after, his head clonking against her armor.

"We've been pulling for you two for so long…how could you possibly think we'd put you down for something like this?"

"We only tease ya cuz we care," smirked Gray, fist bumping Natsu afterward. "We're happy if you're happy."

Lucy's grin was contagious as Wendy wrapped her arms around her, gushing about how happy she was.

"You know what you guys, you should do something to celebrate!" Wendy exclaimed, bouncing on her heels and pumping her fists. "You should do something really fun!"

"Like getting drunk at a Fairy Tail party!" Cana cried at the top of her lungs, raising her barrel to many, many cries of agreement. Natsu, of course, was game for a celebration but Lucy ended up groaning and urgently hiding her face.

"You guys, i-is that _really_ necessary…?"

"This is Fairy Tail!" Makarov declared out of the blue, raising his fist to the sky in the center of the vivacious crowd. "Anything good that happens to one of our own is more than cause to rejoice! One's tears are our tears…and one's joy is ours as well!"

"AYE SIR!" whooped everyone in agreement, already in a buzz about the hangovers everyone was going to have in the morning. Once everyone had flooded out to immediately throw themselves into a fiesta, Lucy nearly collapsed from her sudden whirlwind of thoughts, but Natsu scooped her into his arms before she fell, casually beaming at her.

"Aw, don't give in on me now, Luce! We just got together and now you're about to pass out before our first date."

"…you're going to count a party thrown by Fairy Tail as our first date?!"

Natsu shrugged remarkably easy for a guy with a girl draped in his arms. "Yeah, sure. There'll be food, music, fun, and I don't plan on leaving your side…sounds like a date to me!"

Lucy gave him a long hard look.

"You are going to be the weirdest person I've ever dated-"

"Oi, _you're_ the weirdo!"

"…but you're also going to be my favorite."

Natsu was stunned into silence as she leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek, falling back into his arms with a relaxed sigh.

"…do you remember the birthday cupcake you gave me, and how I'd tell you what I wished for if it came true?" Natsu nodded carefully, making Lucy grin sheepishly. "I didn't actually wish for anything because I hadn't known what it was that I wanted…but now I realize it was you the whole time."

She smiled into the crook of his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"My wish was you…and now, it came true."

Natsu stared blankly at her for a moment before bursting out into uproarious laughter. Lucy jolted upwards, slapping at him and frantically demanding to know what was _possibly_ so funny about that.

"Besides the fact that line was cheesier than that chapter Happy read at the picnic-" She gave him a light shove on the shoulder and he only broke down into even more hysterics. "-you are _such_ a weirdo, Luce. Only weirdos would wish for something they already had."

Lucy felt a chill run up her spine at the truth of his words, and he actually had on a look of bemusement as she began shuddering, grabbing at her arms to take the cold off.

"Jeez, it's like there's suddenly a draft in here…!" she chattered, squeaking when Natsu's arms pulled her in closer to him, if that was even possible at this point. He held her like she barely weighed anything, and still found it in him to glance at her with a mystified gaze.

"Just think, a month ago it was too hot for ya. For a girl who dresses the way she does, you'd think you would be fine regardless of the temperature…" he murmured in her ear. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, here we go again…!"

"Hey, it's not summer every day, you know," he reminded her with a hint of arrogance, starting to walk out of the room. "Ya gotta stop _romanticizing_ it so much…"

Her heart sank a little, even though he was merely teasing. "Yeah, I know…"

Sensing her sadness, Natsu lifted her high enough so he could press his forehead to hers, and Lucy cursed herself for letting a girlish giggle escape her lips at the gentle contact.

"Well, if you stick with me, you'll never have to be cold again!" He chuckled lightly. "And then, every day will be like summer, and you can romance it as much as you want!"

She let out a spirited laugh as Natsu grinned, feeling her hands slide down to intertwine her fingers with his, right where they belonged.

"Hm hm, lucky me."


End file.
